❓ Mr. Morton asks about support for seniors in his electorate. The Minister details cost-of-living payments, the value of the WA Seniors Card, free public transport, and the grandparents support scheme, while also criticising a local government fee.
AnsweredQoN 687Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SENIORS CARD
687. MR N.W. MORTON to the Minister for
Seniors and Volunteering:
Can the Minister for Seniors and
Volunteering outline how seniors in my electorate are being supported by the
Liberal–National government?
687. MR N.W. MORTON to the Minister for
Seniors and Volunteering:
Can the Minister for Seniors and
Volunteering outline how seniors in my electorate are being supported by the
Liberal–National government?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for Forrestfield for his question. He is a very strong
supporter of seniors in his community. As at 27 July this year, WA Seniors Card
holders would have received a cost-of-living payment in their bank accounts to
the tune of $128 per couple and $85 per single person. WA is the only state in
Australia that gives a cash payment to WA Seniors Card holders thought
Australia. I acknowledge that the South Australian Labor government changed its
local government rebate to a cost-of-living rebate and followed us in that
process this year.
More importantly, 370 000 Western Australian
seniors have the most generous Seniors Card in Australia. They have just over
$1 000 dollars of value per card. No other state comes near WA.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen
Mr
A.J. SIMPSON : No other state comes close to what our Seniors Card can hold.
Of course, with that card, there is a discount on water rates, and I just
talked about local government rates. More importantly, just added last year was
a photo ID card. It is something very simple for seniors. The member for
Kingsley, as parliamentary secretary, raised this matter with me back in 2009.
We have actually put that through the process now so that seniors who do not
have a passport, driver's licence or photo ID and need to have photo ID
to get certain medications or even a parcel from the post office have that.
That is now part of the concession process and they can access a photo ID card
to help them out.
Of course, the most amazing thing is
that WA Seniors Card holders have taken advantage of free public transport
since we brought that in in 2009—53 million trips, which is absolutely
fantastic—through the Minister for Transport. We also extended it last
year to off-peak travel. It gives seniors the opportunity to travel around this
state, but more importantly they can use their Seniors Card as well. On top of
that is also the grandparents support scheme. Again, WA is the only state in
Australia that recognises grandcarers in our community with a payment of $250 towards
looking after grandchildren. It is very important to acknowledge the great work
our grandcarers do and we recognise them for the fantastic job they do in our
community.
When I raised the issue of local
government rates, I was very shocked when the member for Forrestfield informed
me that the Shire of Kalamunda was charging a $15 processing fee to access a discount
when using a commonwealth pension card or WA Seniors Card. After the quick work
of the member for Forrestfield, we got in touch with the Shire of Kalamunda.
Neither the Local Government Act nor the rates and charges legislation allows
for that, so it has had to withdraw that charge. What concerned me about that
is that the president of the shire was the former member for Forrestfield. The
only thing I can say is that seniors in Western Australia should be very
concerned if the Labor Party gets into government especially if they are going
to put a $15 surcharge on seniors for using their WA Seniors Card.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, the member for Midland always goes to
great lengths to tell us we are not to call members by their first names, so it
is not Mike and Tony and the rest—remember that.
thank the member for Forrestfield for his question. He is a very strong
supporter of seniors in his community. As at 27 July this year, WA Seniors Card
holders would have received a cost-of-living payment in their bank accounts to
the tune of $128 per couple and $85 per single person. WA is the only state in
Australia that gives a cash payment to WA Seniors Card holders thought
Australia. I acknowledge that the South Australian Labor government changed its
local government rebate to a cost-of-living rebate and followed us in that
process this year.
More importantly, 370 000 Western Australian
seniors have the most generous Seniors Card in Australia. They have just over
$1 000 dollars of value per card. No other state comes near WA.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen
Mr
A.J. SIMPSON : No other state comes close to what our Seniors Card can hold.
Of course, with that card, there is a discount on water rates, and I just
talked about local government rates. More importantly, just added last year was
a photo ID card. It is something very simple for seniors. The member for
Kingsley, as parliamentary secretary, raised this matter with me back in 2009.
We have actually put that through the process now so that seniors who do not
have a passport, driver's licence or photo ID and need to have photo ID
to get certain medications or even a parcel from the post office have that.
That is now part of the concession process and they can access a photo ID card
to help them out.
Of course, the most amazing thing is
that WA Seniors Card holders have taken advantage of free public transport
since we brought that in in 2009—53 million trips, which is absolutely
fantastic—through the Minister for Transport. We also extended it last
year to off-peak travel. It gives seniors the opportunity to travel around this
state, but more importantly they can use their Seniors Card as well. On top of
that is also the grandparents support scheme. Again, WA is the only state in
Australia that recognises grandcarers in our community with a payment of $250 towards
looking after grandchildren. It is very important to acknowledge the great work
our grandcarers do and we recognise them for the fantastic job they do in our
community.
When I raised the issue of local
government rates, I was very shocked when the member for Forrestfield informed
me that the Shire of Kalamunda was charging a $15 processing fee to access a discount
when using a commonwealth pension card or WA Seniors Card. After the quick work
of the member for Forrestfield, we got in touch with the Shire of Kalamunda.
Neither the Local Government Act nor the rates and charges legislation allows
for that, so it has had to withdraw that charge. What concerned me about that
is that the president of the shire was the former member for Forrestfield. The
only thing I can say is that seniors in Western Australia should be very
concerned if the Labor Party gets into government especially if they are going
to put a $15 surcharge on seniors for using their WA Seniors Card.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, the member for Midland always goes to
great lengths to tell us we are not to call members by their first names, so it
is not Mike and Tony and the rest—remember that.
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