Cost of Living Concessions

164 The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) ().19 October 2022). Can the Minister for Human Services advise:

1. How many applications for the Cost of Living Concession have been received since 1 July 2022?

2. How many of these applications have been approved and had payments finalised?

3. What is the average processing time for Cost of Living Concession applications?

4. How many complaints about the Cost of Living Concession have been received since

1 July 2022?

5. How many of these complaints have been resolved?

6. What is the average processing and resolution time for complaints about the Cost of Living Concession?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries): The Minister for Human Services has advised:

1. From 1 July 2022 to 19 October 2022 Concessions SA made 204,284 Cost of Living Concession payments, with 26,377 of those being new applications. 2,157 of these were duplicate applications.

2. Of the 24,220 new (non-duplicate) applications at 19 October: 14,255 have been approved and paid the COLC for 2022-23; 2,607 were either not approved or were approved but pending payment at 19 October; and 7,358 were pending assessment.

3. Since 1 July 2022 the average processing turnaround has been 16 days.

4. As at 19 October 2022, 242 formal enquiries regarding the COLC have been referred to Concessions SA from different sources. This represents 0.12 per cent of the total 204,284 customers who have been paid the 2022-23 COLC.

5. All customer inquiries are resolved by Concessions SA providing advice of payment/receipt, rectifying any payment issues, or providing information regarding eligibility criteria.

6. The majority of the aforementioned inquiries to Concessions SA are resolved with customer contact within one-three days. Customers who require a payment to be made as a result will ordinarily receive it within two weeks.