The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has called on the Minister for Local Government to urgently review static pensioner concessions on council rates.
Speaking in Parliament, Ms Benham said skyrocketing council rates, combined with increased state government taxes and cost-shifting onto local councils, are placing an unfair burden on regional Victorians.
“In regional areas like Mildura, municipal rates are often double or even triple those in metropolitan Melbourne, yet the pensioner concession remains capped at just $266 for council rates and $50 for the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund,” Ms Benham said.
“In regional towns where rates commonly exceed $1,000 that leaves a huge gap for pensioners to cover.
“The current concessions haven’t kept pace with inflation or rising council charges, and that’s simply unfair.”
Ms Benham said the failure to adjust concessions means pensioners on fixed incomes are left paying hundreds of dollars more each year while their concession stays the same.
“The cap doesn’t reflect the real cost of living in regional Victoria, where residents already pay more for essentials like groceries, fuel and power due to distance and freight costs,” she said.
“It’s time for the government to act. If Labor is serious about cost-of-living relief and regional equity, it must lift the cap on pensioner concessions and give country people a fair go.”
“Labor can’t manage money and regional Victorians are paying the price.”
