Seniors Card: A Strategy for Expanding Business

Seniors Card: A Strategy for Expanding Business

I recently wrote to hundreds of businesses in the Lismore Electorate inviting them to re-list in the Seniors Card Directory issued by my office to more than 3,500 seniors in the Lismore electorate and surrounding districts.

As my directory is presently being revised, I am seeking amendments to existing listings, and information from businesses not already listed in the local directory, that offer Senior's discounts and wish to be included this year. Once completed a copy of the new local directory will be supplied to all participating businesses and also sent to Seniors Card holders in the area.

The Seniors Card Scheme, run by the NSW Department of Ageing offers discounts from participating businesses to permanent resident's of NSW, who undertake no more than 20 hours paid work per week and are 60 years of age or over. Application forms for the NSW Seniors Card are available from my office. The NSW Scheme is separate to other Seniors Cards available to the community including;

The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card which helps senior Australians with the cost of certain health and other services and is available from Centrelink, and;

The National Seniors Card which is offered by the Nationals Seniors Association Limited and is available to paying members of the Association. One year single membership costs $24 and is open only to people 50 years of age and over.

NSW State Budget 2006/07

This year's State Budget handed down on 6 June 2006, was disappointing. The Treasurer's announcement included almost nothing that had not been previously announced for the Lismore Electorate.

It is particularly concerning that the Budget includes nothing of substance to fix Hospital waiting lists or improve local road infrastructure. Whilst the State Labor Government claims to be listening to regional voters, this budget lets regional voters down. It is yet another display of the Government's lack of commitment to rural New South Wales and its constituency.

Update on Justice of the Peace Reappointments

The Attorney General's Department have provided an update on the new Justice of the Peace system and progress in regard to reappointments. To date, 34,000 existing New South Wales Justices of the Peace have successfully been reappointed.

The Department has set a closing date for remaining JP's who have not yet applied for reappointment of 31 August 2006. Applications made before this date will be processed up until 8 December 2006 when the appointment for existing JP's who have not reapplied will lapse. Justices of the Peace interested in maintaining their position can obtain reappointment forms from my office.