SAFETY AND SECURITY REBATE
366. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for Seniors and Ageing:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's significant investment in protecting our seniors. Can the
minister update the house on the seniors safety and security rebate program,
which was cut by the previous Liberal–National government, and outline
how it is ensuring more seniors can feel safe and secure in their home?
Mr D.T.
PUNCH replied:
I thank the member for Landsdale for
the question and for her passionate commitment to seniors in her area.
As the house knows, we are very
committed to supporting communities and seniors are a very special part of our
community. One example of how we have supported seniors through our election
commitments is, of course, the seniors safety and security rebate. It is yet
another election commitment that we have delivered. I was very proud to
announce the rebate with the Premier and the Minister for Police, Minister
Papalia, in August last year. We announced $400 per household for eligible home
security equipment. I remind members that that includes home alarm and CCTV systems, security screens and
doors, deadlocks, security sensor lights, wi-fi video doorbells, residual
current devices, mains-powered smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and fire
blankets. We know those items are all very important to providing seniors with
a sense of safety and security.
In the first nine months since the
scheme's introduction, payments to Western Australian seniors have
exceeded the $4 million mark. In fact, as at 31 May, 11 830 claims have been
paid, totalling $4.49 million, with 99 per cent of applications finalised.
Members may be interested to know that there has been a really high take-up in
some areas. I would like to acknowledge that in the City of Joondalup, the
member for Joondalup's area, there were 1 170 recipients. In the City
of Mandurah, including the electorates of the members for Dawesville and
Mandurah, there were 1 133 recipients. In the City of Melville, including the
member for Bateman's electorate, there were 780 recipients. In the City
of Stirling, including the ever-hardworking member for Scarborough's
electorate, there 1 045 recipients. The
members for Landsdale and Wanneroo had 765 in the City of Wanneroo. They are
some very substantial numbers. I had a look at some other locations. The
member for Cottesloe managed to achieve one in the Shire of Peppermint Grove,
24 in the Town of Cottesloe and 25 in the Town of Mosman Park, but we know the tank has run dry in some areas. In the Shire
of Carnarvon, the member the North West Central managed to achieve five.
This highlights the hard work done promoting the safety and security rebate by
members on this side of the chamber who take seniors seriously. They are out
there with our seniors strategy, talking with local communities about the
aspirations of seniors into the future.
There have been some other
benefits from this particular program, members. As Minister for Small Business,
I would like to also acknowledge that 1 300 businesses have been
involved in delivering or installing eligible items for holders of the WA
Seniors Card, providing a welcome boost to the local safety and security
industry.
Members
will recall that the previous Liberal–National government abolished
this program in 2015. When it realised the state's finances were
in a mess and rapidly going downhill, who did it target? It targeted seniors.
The Minister for Seniors and Volunteering at that time, Hon Tony Simpson, said
there was a need to ensure the concessions, rebates and supports provided to
seniors were responsible, fair, sustainable and targeted at those who needed it
most. The former Liberal–National government decided that nobody needed
it and cut it. We are keeping seniors safe, members. Safety and security may
not have been important to the Barnett Liberal–National government, but
I can assure members it is a priority of the McGowan government.