Page 1174 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
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Concessions in 2012-13 included over 17,000 pensioners receiving an average general rebate of $439 each. Over 15,000 residents received an average rebate of $402 on their water and waste water account. 25,000 residents received the energy concession, with an average rebate of $374 on their electricity account. Concession travel on ACTION buses costs over $7 million. Over 45,000 people received an average discount of $150 on their vehicle registration. Over 3,000 members of the taxi subsidy scheme were provided with financial assistance at a cost of over $1 million. Over 500 students with special needs and 1,500 students from low income families were provided with free transport to school.
Over 11,000 public housing tenancies were assisted in 2012-13, with over $110 million in forgone revenue. These figures increased in 2013-2014 to $130 million for 12,000 public housing tenancies. There are also other supports such as the first home owners scheme, the homebuyer concession on conveyance duty, driver’s licence concessions and various health concessions. The 2013-14 budget also included $377,000 to extend the administration of the energy efficiency scheme, which helped 2,000 vulnerable households since January 2013 to reduce their energy costs.
Self-funded retirees with medical conditions are able to access the spectacle subsidy scheme and the taxi subsidy scheme. The reduction of the qualifying age for the ACTION seniors gold card from 75 to 70 years introduced in the 2013-14 budget provides free bus travel for nearly 9,000 additional older members of our community. There is a difference here. We brought down the age to support retirees in the ACT rather than raise the age. Seniors cardholders are entitled to 10 per cent concession on their motor vehicle rego.
The targeted assistance strategy led to administrative reforms such as flexible payment options for parking and traffic infringements, including extension of time to pay—up to six months—payment by instalment, work and development orders and the possibility of waivers of penalties relating to traffic and parking infringements. This allows people to enter into regular fortnightly payments or other payment arrangements in circumstances where payment of the fine would be difficult.
Other support from the government for people facing genuine hardship includes emergency material and financial aid. The government provides funding of $1.169 million in 2013-14—GST exclusive—to the energy, material and financial aid program. Funding is provided to three organisations for that program: the Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul and Uniting Care Kippax. They do a fantastic job for Canberrans.
The Rotary Club of Canberra is funded by $78,582 per annum for the transport and distribution of Foodbank goods in the ACT. Foodbank, of course, is a not-for-profit national organisation that sources and distributes food and grocery industry donations to welfare agencies that provide food assistance to people in need.
There are some other related initiatives. People with a disability experience genuine considerable hardship. The introduction of the national disability insurance scheme sees the ACT government directing significant resources to this important area. But
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