It has come to my attention that the Member for Kiama is advising people that 
the Regional Seniors Travel card will be axed from Friday – this is not correct.
The fact is that the regional seniors travel card program was available for a 4-
year trial period (2020-2023).

What the Government is doing is putting a hold on new applications while 
issues with the Travel card are fully investigated. This will not affect seniors in 
NSW who already hold a regional seniors travel card. Active cards can continue 
to be used until the expiry date printed on the front of the card.

These issues include:

o The card being used for items such as Cigarettes, take-away food and in 
some instances alcohol. The card does not differentiate between fuel or 
other items purchased in a service station. The card is only meant to be 
used to pay for fuel, taxis and pre-booked NSW TrainLink regional trains 
and coaches, not for cigarettes or alcohol.
o Residence of applicants is not equitable – for example, people living on 
one side of Lake Illawarra (Shellharbour LGA) are entitled to the card 
while the other side of Lake Illawarra (Wollongong LGA) are not.
o Currently Westpac charges the NSW State Government a fee every time 
the card is used.

“The previous Liberal Government has left the taxpayers of NSW with the 
largest ever debt - $187.5 billion. It is irresponsible decisions and the lack of 
accountability in key areas such as the Seniors Travel card that have 
contributed to this massive debt”.

“Currently, to be eligible for the card the current income cut-off point for a 
couple is $3,940 per fortnight and the assets cut-off point is $1,171,00 and 
does not include the family home”.

“The Minns Government is committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable 
members of our community are supported – but we must ensure that the 
money is being spent wisely and that there is value for dollar, and I am proud 
to be part of a Government that is accountable and is looking at every budget 
item line-by-line to ensure that the people in NSW that really need assistance 
get it”.

“The only way for Gareth Ward to stay relevant is for him to enrage the 
community without providing all the information at hand. It is this 
unregulated spending by the previous Government, a Government that Mr 
Ward was a member of, that has caused the massive debt that the Minns 
Government has inherited and must fix”.