CORONAVIRUS —
COUNTRY AGE PENSION FUEL CARD
460. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I refer to the government's
announcement to extend the pensioner free travel entitlement for 45 000
cardholders whose entitlement expired between March and May but was unclaimed
due to COVID-19 restrictions.
(1) Why has the
government extended this travel entitlement but refuses to roll over the unused
funds for the 54 000 Country Age Pension Fuel Card holders who were also
impacted by COVID-19 restrictions?
(2) Will the
Premier request that his Minister for Regional Development reconsider the
decision?
Mr M.
McGOWAN replied:
(1)–(2) The
fuel card is there and people can use it. It is there. It is a set amount; it
is $500 from memory. If anyone wants to use
it, they can, so my encouragement is for anyone who is eligible for the card,
please go and fill up your car and spend the money in Western Australia
and travel around and experience our great state.
It is available; it is there right now for people to go and use out there
across regional Western Australia. I recall that one of the opposition's
campaign themes before the last election was that we were going to get rid of it. That was, again, wrong. It is in
place and it is operational. I urge people to go and use it. It is there
for people to use. Get out there and spend your money and travel around
regional WA.