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Victoria’s concession card holders will have their year-round electricity bills slashed by 17.5 percent under a Liberal Nationals Coalition Government, Nationals Member for Swan Hill Peter Walsh announced today.
Mr Walsh said the Coalition would also extend stamp duty relief to eligible self-funded retirees who were entitled to a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.
“Reducing electricity bills will help to ease cost of living pressures for so many older people in our community as well as other concession card holders,” Mr Walsh said.
“Older local residents, especially those on fixed incomes, struggle with massive electricity bills and after 11 years of Labor government it has become much worse.”
Mr Walsh said the Coalition’s $351.4 million electricity bill concession plan would enable more than 800,000 households to benefit from lower electricity bills year round across the state.
“Labor’s summer electricity concession policy will only apply to concession card holders for the three-month summer period. The Coalition’s plan means that local concession card holders will receive a 17.5% reduction on their electricity bills all year round,” Mr Walsh said.
“The new concession will be available to holders of Pensioner Concession Cards, Health Care Cards or Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Cards.
Mr Walsh said the Coalition would also extend the land transfer stamp duty concession threshold to include all seniors, including self-funded retirees.
“This will provide relief to retirees, including those entitled to a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, who are downsizing their homes.
“This package of initiatives will make a real difference to local people who have struggled keeping up with rising everyday costs,” Mr Walsh said.