Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I again follow up with the minister on the Commonwealth seniors health card. The indexation of income thresholds for the card is obviously something that seniors advocates have been calling for for a long time. I am very pleased that the measures have been finally put into the budget, something that those opposite had six years to do and never did. These measures will benefit seniors every year into the future.

One other issue that has been brought up consistently within my electorate is the portability of this card. Many self-funded retirees travel overseas to see friends and family and, despite the fact that they do not receive income support payments, they are still limited to six weeks before their card gets cancelled. That means that they have to reapply. It is a fairly long, bureaucratic process, I am told, and results in some administrative overhang that, frankly, many think is not necessary. I would be interested to know: has the government considered the matter of extending the portability period of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card in this budget?

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