General Chat

Hi Margaret :-)

We also get the Seniors card from the WA government at 60, although I didn't receive mine until I was 63 as I didn't meet the requirements re working hours as I had my own business. This is good for free transport in the area, but like many country areas the bus services are not very convenient and the restricted time periods for the free travel means that the services we can use are very limited.

However, outside those times (Which start after the schools open and finish when schools close .9.00am - 3.30pm) we do receive concessionary fares

Lucky you,Allan.Enjoy your free fuel!!

Here in Vic.we get the Seniors card when we turn 60,which is good for train travel,admission to the cinema etc. and some stores will give you
10% off their merchandise on full-price items.

After paying income taxes all our working lives,it's nice to get something back! :-D :-D :-D :-D

Margot

Thanks Allan

I'd already googled for it :-D and forwarded it to friends over 65.

I'm waiting for other state's oldies to start wailing

I remember when my aunt (in Scotland) turned 60. She thought she'd get a pension. Nope, Why? Because she is older than her husband! What a stupid rule.

I'm older than Himself (am I a cougar?), so I'm wondering if that stupid rule will apply here.

:-(

Scozz, here is a link to the Dept. that issues the card


http://www.rdl.wa.gov.au/grantandfunding/fuel/Pages/default.aspx

lol Scozz :-D

I still can't believe it myself, but to get a full card with less than two months till the end of the financial year, if I'm to use all the money, both OH and myself may have to take up drag racing! :-0

How far from the east coast of Oz (where I am) to the west coast (where Allan is)?

Nah, I think I'll stay here. By the time I pack up the WA govt will have stopped the $500 system.

:-(

No you certainly cant Allan,pity all countries dont follow their lead,,,,
enjoy all you get, :-D

Kay, I certainly can't complain: we also get concessions on car tax and Council Rates (up to 50% off) plus cheap prescriptions.

blinky eck ,,,,,,,,,well in that light,AUS certainly look after its old timers,,,,,,much better than ours could ever wish for,

pity I cant come over and qualify,,,,,,,, :-D ;-)

Kay, we do get free bus travel as part of our State Senior card which you become eligible for, subject to conditions, when you reach 60. This card is issued by State Governments and is separate from the Age Pension Card issued by the Federal Government when you turn 65.

As part of the Age pension scheme, I also receive two free Rail or Coach trips to anywhere in WA. These are for single journeys, but you can use both at once to book a return fare

Thats great Allen,,,,,,

Over here they get a free bus pass,,,,,,,,,so our lot are better off,,,,,,

Scozz, it was introduced here as part of the 'Royalties for Regions' scheme which has been running since our last election (not the one just gone) when the liberals needed to work(?) with the National Party to form Government. The idea was that a certain amount of the Royalties which Mining Companies pay to the State Government would be channelled back to Country areas.

What will happen now that the Libs have enough seats to govern on their own no one knows. There is a suspicion that the Royalties for Regions Funding will be used to buffer the shortfall in Federal funding, but as most of the big ticket promised items were for the Perth Metropolitan area, such a 'grab' would go down like a ton of bricks in Regional areas

That's great Allan :-D

I'll have to ask friends who are over 65. They will be very interested in this scheme. I haven't heard of it, obviously the other states are keeping quiet!

We don't have much in the way of public transport around here.

I have over two years to go ~ maybe the NSW government will be generous by then......... but I doubt it.

Ann, I don't know how long the scheme will last. It was introduced to capture the 'grey' votes. It should last at least one more year as we have just had a State Election where many promises were made by the winning party about massive investments in various infrastructure.

It now turns out that the provision of the schemes relied heavily on Federal Government Grants, and guess what? The Feds have said "No Way" (Different political party to our State Government)

So, in order to provide funding and to see where major savings can be made, our State Budget, which is usually announced in May has been postponed until August.

As our financial year commences on 1st July, I'm hoping that major changes will not happen until 2014/2015

coo - imagine them doing that over here - in our dreams :-( :-(

lol Geordie, not all pensioners. As I said, this is a very recent State initiative so you have to be living in Western Australia to receive it. I don't know whether the other States have a similar scheme

Lucky Australian pensioners! Where I live there are only 3 buses a week, could definitely do with some of that. :-(

I recently posted that I had reached the grand age of 65 and had received a part pension from the Australian Federal Government..

I have now received a belated birthday present from the WA State Government..... a $500 fuel card.

Apparently this scheme was started a couple of years ago and can only be applied for by age pensioners living outside the Perth Metropolitan area.

The card can be used either to purchase petrol if you have a car or for taxi fares if you don't have a car and is meant as compensation for the lack of public transport in the country areas.

Normally, the card is valid for a year, commencing 1st July so when I applied for mine I thought that I would get a pro-rata sum for fuel

NO, when the card arrived yesterday it had the full $500 value. This must be spent before the end of June otherwise any value remaining on the card is wiped clean and a new card issued.

Still, it will certainly takes us down to Margaret River next weekend
:-)