Victorian government election promises for seniors
The Victorian government has made a bid to secure seniors’ votes in this month’s state election, promising energy bill assistance and stamp duty relief for pensioners.
AAP News service has reported that the government has pledged to extend energy concessions it provided to seniors over the winter months through a summer energy concession program.
Eligible seniors would receive a 17.5% discount on each electricity bill.
The government also vowed to lift the concession threshold for stamp duty to $750,000. Previously, the seniors’ concession kicked in at $330,000 and phased out at $440,000.
The policy is costed at $38 million, just a fraction of the $4 billion the government is expected to reap in stamp duty taxes by 2014, according to figures released last week.
Victorian Premier, John Brumby, said the government’s $361 million seniors’ package was needed to keep apace with the number of ageing Victorians.
“We do have 1,000 Victorians each week turning 65, so we need to be doing more and spending more in this area,” he told reporters.
The coalition is yet to release its seniors’ policy.
National Seniors Australia’s Victorian spokesman, Arnold Bates, said the organisation was pleased the premier had responded to its calls for the stamp duty and summer energy concessions, and home and community care.
The government also promised to provide $118.7 million towards its home and community care services program and $12.5 million for a new 30-bed high-care aged facility at Peninsula Health Mornington, in Melbourne’s southeast.
