Making retirement in the NT more affordable, pension

Minister for Territory Families Dale Wakefield said the Government increased funding for the scheme by $2.1 million in Budget 2017 to ensure that all Territorians over 65 will have access to concessions.

The scheme provides financial subsidies as concessions to members for a range of goods and services. 

Concessions help people on low incomes access important services such as water, energy, transport and housing. 

The scheme aims to:

“Our Government promised to consult on the NT Pensioner and Carer Concession Scheme and we are delivering on that promise,” Ms Wakefield said.

“The current Scheme is open to exploitation, expensive to manage and unfair to many – that is why it needs to be reviewed. I believe Territory seniors and pensioners support that because it’s the right thing to do.

“There is a significant disparity between the highest and lowest users of the Scheme, with the top 100 users claiming, on average, more than $6500 in concessions. The middle point claimed is under $1300 so the balance is not right or fair. 

“The scheme has also disadvantaged people that don’t own their own home or who live in rural and remote areas.

“We want to create a scheme that is fairer, more flexible and that can suit a range of different circumstances.

“We listened to early community feedback on proposed changes to the scheme which is why everything is now up for discussion.”

Minister Wakefield said Government is also delivering on an election promise that all seniors 65 years or older will receive a minimum of $700 concession every two years.

The $700 minimum concession is specifically targeted at self-funded retirees who were previously excluded from the scheme under the former CLP government. Pensioners are assessed differently and will receive more.

Territorians can have their say online, in person, by telephone or by post. Public consultation sessions will also be held across the Territory and will be advertised through the Department of Territory Families.

Minister Wakefield said reforming the scheme is one of a range of initiatives by the Territory Labor Government to improve quality of life for seniors, including the recent announcement of free bus travel, which was scrapped under the former CLP government.

“I urge all Territorians to have their say on the Scheme so that we can make positive improvements to deliver a fair and flexible Scheme to help ease the cost of living for our seniors and pensioners,” Ms Wakefield said.

Public consultation will close on August 31.

Minister Dale Wakefield has listened to the concerns of Senior Territorians and COTA NT, the peak body representing seniors throughout the Northern Territory by allowing all aspects of the NT Pensioner and Carer Concession Scheme to be open to consultation.

COTA NT chief executive Sue Shearer said: “The areas of concern to seniors were the debit card process, coupled with the re-applying in 2018 for the scheme plus the uncertainty of eligibility with the grandfathering.”

“We have had numerous phone calls from pensioners who are very upset that they would be worse off with what was proposed in the Fact Sheet that has been circulated.

“We are obviously extremely pleased with Minister Wakefield’s decision to open up the consultation process completely and with the previous decisions mentioned in the Fact Sheet now up for consultation.”

COTA NT believes that while parts of the seniors’ scheme obviously were taken advantage of, overall it achieved its purpose for all seniors by assisting in alleviating and easing the cost of living.

However, we do believe that there should be a qualifying period of either two (2) to five (5) years and that a cap on electricity and water should be considered.”