Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-03-22 Daily Xml

Contents

Cost of Living Concession

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (14:55): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney-General a question about cost of living.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: The government has already ruled out again paying a doubling of the Cost of Living Concession allowance as it did in the first budget. What new measures will the government put in place to ease cost-of-living pressures today, which are even more exacerbated now compared with this time last year?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:56): I thank the honourable member for her question. There are a number of measures the government has put in place to ease the cost of living, most through Treasury. There are also cost-of-living areas in terms of public transport concessions for seniors that Department for Transport has provided. I am happy to take on notice a lot of that question to provide a run-down of some of the cost-of-living measures in which the government has provided relief.

This government has done a number of things: it has doubled the Cost of Living Concession to assist people on a lower fixed income. This election policy included an extra $39.3 million to help 220,000 households across the state. The government also honoured, as I outlined, its commitment to make public transport free for all people with a Seniors Card. The government has made several announcements around housing that have been outlined by my colleagues in another place who are responsible for that area, and the government is acutely aware and will always consider measures to ease the cost of living for South Australians.