“Pensioners welcome calls[1] for reform of the pensioner rebate for council rates, which has not changed since 1993”, said CPSA Policy Coordinator, Charmaine Crowe
“Pensioners receive $250 to assist with the cost of council rates despite average rates doubling or tripling over the past 17 years.”
“Obviously when there is no mechanism to index a rebate, it will lose its value.”
“All home owners find land rate rises difficult to cover, but it’s much harder when your sole source of income is a pension”.
“CPSA calls on the NSW Government to make an election commitment to reform the local government rate rebate to cover 50 per cent of rates charged. CPSA calls on the NSW Opposition to support such reform.”
[1] ABC Online ‘Nambucca councillor seeks a better deal for pensioners’ 3 November 2010, available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/03/3055528.htm
Media contact: Charmaine Crowe
Mobile: 0410 612 182