21,000 Bonner Residents to Receive Energy Assistance Payment

The Turnbull Government is following through with its election commitment to deliver affordable living for all Australians.

The government has announced tougher regulations for the Gas sector giving Aussies priority to the supply and plans to strengthen the Australian regulator, alongside delivering the energy assistance payment to millions of Australians.

More than 20,000 people in Bonner are amongst the 3.8 million nationally who will benefit from a one-off payment of up to $75 to help with energy costs.

The Energy Assistance Payment will be provided to anyone on the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Parenting Payment Single as well as Veterans and their partners who receive the Service Pension, Income Support Supplement and relevant compensation payments.

A total of 21,355 people in Bonner will benefit from this measure including:

·         15,127 recipients of the Age Pension

·         3,414 recipients of the Disability Support Pension and

·         1,138 recipients of Parenting Payment Single. 

·         1,676 recipients of veteran’s payments.

The one-off payment is $75 for singles and $62.50 for each pensioner in a couple will be automatically paid to eligible recipients over the next two weeks.

Local MP Ross Vasta said this one-off payment was delivered as part of a package securing significant reform through the Senate.

“In securing the passage of the company tax cuts, helping small and medium sized businesses employing 6.5 million people, the Government also committed to providing these one-off payments.”

The payment will not be taxed, will not be treated as income for tax purposes and does not count as income for social security purposes.

Mr Vasta said “this package is great news for people of the Bonner electorate, not only are we delivering this Energy Assistance Payment but we have also approved the reinstatement of thousands of Pensioner Concession Cards.”

Approximately 733 part-pensioners will have their Pensioner Concession Card reinstated.

“As a result of the much needed reforms to part pension on January 1 this year some former part-pensioners in Bonner lost access to some state and local government concessions.

“We have listened to the community and I personally campaigned for the reinstatement of this concession and I’m delighted that these people will have their card reinstated and be able to access the same benefits they enjoyed previously through the Pensioner Concession Card.”

The Pensioner Concession Card will be automatically provided to eligible former part-pensioners in October.

Further information is available at: www.humanservices.gov.au/energyassist