Plight of the pensioners

The Local Government Association of South Australia (LGASA) has launched a statewide petition calling on the South Australian Parliament to commit to maintain and index concessions on Council rates.

LGASA President, Mayor David O’Loughlin, said more than 160,000 South Australian pensioners and other concession recipients could be hit with a bill shock of around 20 percent, should the State Government continue with its 2014 Budget announcement that it would axe concessions, worth up to $190 per household, from 1 July this year.

“State-funded concessions on Council rates have been made available to pensioners and other benefit recipients for more than 40 years and to self-funded retirees since 2001.

“Axing the concessions will impact on over 160,000 homes in South Australia.

“It’s a direct hit on pensioners and concession card holders, who are some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

LGASA has sent petition forms to all Councils in South Australia and anticipates it should be available to sign at Council front counters, in libraries, community centres and other Council locations.

Mayor O’Loughlin said the Opposition and minor parties have indicated that they will block any change in the concessions in the Legislative Council and the LGASA supports this move.

“We want every Member of Parliament to be absolutely clear that the SA public wants the concessions maintained and indexed.

“We would prefer the Government to back away from the proposal to scrap the concession but if they proceed with a regulation, we want public support clear for Stephen Marshall’s plan to block the regulation to be absolutely clear.

“Sign the petition, let your local State Member of Parliament know that the community will not tolerate this attack on the meagre income of our seniors and concession card holders.

“This cut is indefensible and we need to tell every politician in SA exactly what we think about it.

“Our state wide petition campaign will force every single member of the State Parliament to table a petition calling for the retention of the concession, and they need to be accountable to every South Australian for their actions in this matter.”