It has come to my attention that the Member for Kiama is advising people that the Regional Seniors Travel card will be axed from Friday – this is not correct. The fact is that the regional seniors travel card program was available for a 4-year trial period (2020-2023).

What the Government is doing is putting a hold on new applications while issues with the Travel card are fully investigated. This will not affect seniors in NSW who already hold a regional seniors travel card. Active cards can continue to be used until the expiry date printed on the front of the card.

These issues include:

o The card being used for items such as Cigarettes, take-away food and in some instances alcohol. The card does not differentiate between fuel or  other items purchased in a service station. The card is only meant to be  used to pay for fuel, taxis and pre-booked NSW TrainLink regional trains and coaches, not for cigarettes or alcohol.

o Residence of applicants is not equitable – for example, people living on one side of Lake Illawarra  Shellharbour LGA) are entitled to the card  while the other side of Lake Illawarra (Wollongong LGA) are not.

o Currently Westpac charges the NSW State Government a fee every time the card is used.

“The previous Liberal Government has left the taxpayers of NSW with the largest ever debt - $187.5 billion. It is irresponsible decisions and the lack of  accountability in key areas such as the Seniors Travel card that have contributed to this massive debt”.

“Currently, to be eligible for the card the current income cut-off point for a couple is $3,940 per fortnight and the assets cut-off point is $1,171,00 and does not include the family home”.

“The Minns Government is committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable members of our community are supported – but we must ensure that the money is being spent wisely and that there is value for dollar, and I am proud to be part of a Government that is accountable and is looking at every budget item line-by-line to ensure that the people in NSW that really need assistance get it”.

“The only way for Gareth Ward to stay relevant is for him to enrage the community without providing all the information at hand. It is this unregulated spending by the previous Government, a Government that Mr. Ward was a member of, that has caused the massive debt that the Minns Government has inherited and must fix”.