The Hodgman Liberal Government will extend the $125 Special Energy Bonus to even more Tasmanians doing it tough, including veterans, carers and disability pensioners.
The Special Energy Bonus will now be available to all Aurora Energy account holders with a Pensioner Concession Card, thanks to an additional investment of $500,000 into the scheme.
Helping with the cost of living is a top priority for the Hodgman Liberal Government. Power bill relief for aged pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders has been warmly welcomed.
We have also heard since the announcement calls for other concession groups to be included. The Government has worked through this with Aurora in recent weeks, as part of identifying the households to receive the bonus and it is very pleasing to be able to extend the Special Energy Bonus further to others with a Pensioner Concession Card.
Aurora’s work to identify all the eligible aged pensioner households has resulted in a lower than the originally anticipated number meaning with the small increase in the scheme value, we are able to now include all Pensioner Concession Card holders who are registered with Aurora Energy for a concession.
As with the original Special Energy Bonus, the extension is funded by energy businesses as a result of higher than expected profits. In line with our Tasmania-first approach, we believe that higher than expected returns from our energy businesses should be returned to the pockets of Tasmanians, rather than retained by the Government.
Cheques for $125 per eligible household will be automatically mailed to Aurora Energy account holders registered for an electricity concession with a Pensioner Concession Card.
The application process for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders to receive the bonus has today (November 18) been advertised in newspapers. Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders can apply by presenting their valid Commonwealth Senior Health Card along with their Aurora Energy account details to a Service Tasmania Service Centre (1300 13 55 13). An agent may present these on behalf of the card holder.
Eligible recipients for the Bonus are Aurora Energy account holders registered for an electricity concession with either a Pensioner Concession Card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards.
Only one bonus is available per household.
People who may have a Pensioner Concession Card are recipients of: Age Pension, DVA Pension, Bereavement Allowance, Carer Payment, DSP (Disability Support), NAP (Non Agency Payment), PPS (Parenting Payment Single), WFA (Wife Pension Age), WFD (Wife Pension DSP or Work for Dole).
More information is available at http://www.concessions.tas.gov.au/