The opposition is calling on the state government to expedite cost of living concession payments for 5,000 South Australians who are still waiting for theirs to be processed.
abc.net.au/news/sa-cost-of-living-concession-delays/101621696The opposition is calling on the state government to fast-track cost of living concession payments to 5,000 vulnerable South Australians still waiting for their one-off payment to be processed.
Pensioner Veronica Hellams decided to keep the heater off over winter and use blankets because the cost of electricity was ballooning, and she could not afford her bills going up. She said her Cost-of-Living Concession payment had been delayed two months, so she tried to call Concessions SA to find out what was causing the delay.She said her daughter has a severe disability so waiting on the phone for that long was inconvenient, so she went to see her local MP who sorted it out."As pensioners with no other income, it's very crucial, especially with the increase in food, and you've got your council rates … and petrol is very expensive.
Shadow Communities Minister Jing Lee said she was concerned about thousands of vulnerable South Australians having to wait for the Cost-of-Living Concession payment."There are families with frustration, they're distressed, all this long delay.'Blatant hypocrisy'"The opposition did not go to the election with a policy to provide relief in the pockets of South Australians, which is in contrast to us committing to double concession payments," she said.
Human Services Minister Nat Cook says the state government has already paid out $75 million worth of the payments."We have already paid out more than $75 million worth of $449 payments to home owner pensioners – that is double the amount that they would have received under the opposition's policy or lack of," she said.Ms Cook said the assessment process was "complex" and the government needed to ensure the right people were getting the Cost-of-Living Concession.
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