Page 1254 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 April 2019
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circumstances where a customer provides evidence to support the request and strict guidelines are met. As an example, a fine waiver has been provided to a customer impacted by domestic violence who was forced to drive an unregistered vehicle. This vehicle amassed fines for being unregistered and other offences. These fines were waived due to the circumstances that led to the fines being issues.
I advise the Assembly that as at 1 April this year there have been 36,749 customers who have accessed an infringement notice management plan. Of these, 35,628 entered into a payment plan, 605 into a social development program, and 516 participated in a community work program. So over many years now this process has worked well in the ACT.
I am also pleased to advise that in January this year Access Canberra introduced an online service for customers to create and enter into an infringement payment plan. This online service is available on the Access Canberra website. Since January 1,877 customers have created new plans, using the new online option, and 177 customers have added a new infringement plan to an existing plan. To date, more than 35,000 people have potentially avoided further hardship by accessing the infringement notice management plan.
To further ease pressure on low income families, a number of vehicle registration concessions are also available. Holders of a current Department of Veterans’ Affairs pension concession card or Centrelink pension concession cards do not pay for the registration component of their car registration and just pay the compulsory fees such as third-party insurance, the road rescue fee and the road safety contribution.
Incremental vehicle registration payment options include three, six and 12 months, available for all Canberrans, allowing a household to manage their finances and limit the impact of any unexpected expenses. There are also a wide range of other financial supports available to Canberrans who are on low incomes who have a qualifying commonwealth concession card or find themselves in difficult financial circumstances.
Members may not be aware that from 1 July this year the ACT government utilities concession will increase by a further $46, to $700 per annum. We also offer support through our public transport concessions and the taxi subsidy scheme. The ACT revenue office provides financial support to eligible concession card holders, with a rebate of up to $700 a year on rates as well as options to defer the payment of rates to a later day. We have also provided flexible payment options to all ratepayers across the ACT.
Canberra is Australia’s most livable city, and the ACT government is committed to ensuring that this is a city where everyone can feel connected and supported, especially when times get tough. We are of course pleased to examine the recommendations outlined in Ms Cody’s motion and report back on this important issue.
I note a handwritten amendment has been circulated by Mr Wall in relation to surcharges applied to payments made on an incremental basis. I can signal that I am happy to look at those as well. I am not going to commit today to the abolition of all
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