VIC:Vic card holders get year round help

AAP General News (Australia)
02-19-2011
VIC:Vic card holders get year round help

MELBOURNE, Feb 19 AAP - Victorian concession card holders will have cut price electricity
bills year round, Premier Ted Baillieu has announced.

Mr Baillieu told journalists the move, expected to cost about $373 million over four
years, would double the period for which concession card holders receive cheaper electricity
bills.

Currently, those with health care cards, pensioner concession cards and Veterans' gold
cards only receive a 17.5 per cent saving on electricity bills for six months of the year.

Extending the assistance year round was a Coalition election promise.

The new arrangements are expected to be in place from March 1, although depending on
the billing cycles of individual electricity retailers, they may get the reduced bills
from a slightly later date, but will be back paid.

"Clearly the cost of living is rising and we are very aware of that, that is why we
made this commitment before the election," Mr Baillieu told reporters.

"It is substantial assistance to Victorian families."

A concession card holder currently paying an electricity bill of $1500 per year would
save $262 annually from the concession, the government said.

More than 815,000 Victorians will benefit from the move.

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KEYWORD: ELECTRICITY VIC

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