C48/1996 ISSUE OF 1997 TC1 TRANSPORT CONCESSION CARDS AND/OR TRAVEL VOUCHERS

Purpose of instruction

To provide information on :

1. the issue of the 1997 TC1 card and

2. procedures for applying for

• replacement cards and/or travel vouchers and

• the new issue of TC1 cards and/or travel vouchers.

Introduction

Certain States offer transport concessions to War Widow/ers who do not receive the PCC.  National Office supervises the printing, personalising and enveloping of transport concession cards and/or travel vouchers for three of these States, NSW, VIC and QLD.

National Office also provides data for the local issue of transport concession cards in WA.

The TC1 card and/or travel vouchers are issued annually to all eligible recipients for the calendar year.

The 1997 TC1 card and/or voucher is issued as A4 cut sheet stationery printed on the front and back.

The NSW card is printed in two colours front and one colour back with four travel vouchers attached to the carrier.

The VIC card is also printed in two colours front and one colour back but has one travel voucher attached to the carrier.

QLD travel vouchers are printed in two colours front and one colour back.  QLD recipients receive four travel vouchers only.

WA State Office arranges for the local dispatch of a State transport concession card to eligible clients.

Processing of the bulk issue of approximately 26,000 TC1 cards/vouchers will commence on 27 November 1996, following the extract of client data on 21/11/96.  This extract will be matched against a DSS cartridge which contains the names of DVA War Widow/ers who are eligible to receive a PCC through DSS.

The 1997 TC1 card and/or travel vouchers for NSW, VIC and QLD will be personalised, enveloped and dispatched by Leigh-Mardon Pty Ltd in Melbourne.

WA State Office will arrange for the enveloping and dispatch of approximately 2,250 transport concession cards to eligible WA clients.

The cards and/or vouchers will be delivered by the end of the first week in December.

Card Numbers

The approximate numbers for each State/Territory for the bulk issue in November 1996 are as follows :

  STATE                          Number of Clients eligible for

                                                Card/Voucher issue

    NSW                                               11,204

    VIC                                                   8,670

    QLD                                                  5,404

    WA                                                   2,238

Insert

A State specific magnetic refrigerator calendar will be included with this year's bulk issue of TC1 cards and/or vouchers.

Changes

The 1997 TC1 card/carrier for NSW and VIC will be mainly pale red in colour with headings in red.

The Travel vouchers for QLD will be mainly pale green in colour with 1997 embossed in green across the entire card.

Expiry date will be 31/12/97 for all 1997 TC1 cards and vouchers.

Replacement Cards and Vouchers for 1997 Reissues and New grants

Due to loss or theft or other reason, eligible clients may need a reissue of their Card and/or voucher,

or

if a new grant of pension is made, an eligible client should be issued with a new card and/or voucher.  The following procedures apply for Reissues or New grants :

• NSW clients need to obtain new issues or reissues of cards and/or vouchers from the relevant Transport authority as detailed below:

        CityRail

   Passes and Concessions Office

   Transport House

   Ground Floor

   Wynyard Railway Station

   11-31 York Street                   Ph (02) 9224 4768

CityRail will refer to their list of those who were issued cards in the bulk run and proceed with the reissue.  If they need further information or clarification, they will contact DVA and discuss the matter.

• VIC clients need to obtain new issues and reissues of cards and vouchers directly from VIC State Office.  Clients should contact:

     VAN Reception

     DVA Victoria State Office

     300 La Trobe Street

     Melbourne VIC 3000                 Ph (03) 9284 6517

     OR

     Darryl Cousins                          Ph (03) 9284 6417

• QLD clients should contact the DVA State Office who will liaise

     with Queensland Rail to reissue or issue the vouchers to

     eligible clients.  Clients should contact:

     VAN Reception

     DVA Queensland State Office

     AMP Place

     10 Eagle Street

     Brisbane QLD 4000                   Ph (07) 3223 8475

• WA clients need to obtain new issues or reissues of their transport concession card from WA State Office.  Clients need to contact:

     VAN Office Client Inquiry area

     DVA WA State Office

     AMP Building

     140 St Georges Terrace

     Cnr William Street

     Perth WA 6060

New Stock

Blank Stock for the issue of Cards/vouchers will be forwarded to the officers nominated below no later than 28 November 1996.

NSW:  Mr Brian McFarlane

          Passes and Concessions Office

          CityRail

          Transport House

          11-13 York Street

          Sydney NSW 2000

VIC:  Mr Darryl Cousins

        British Pensions

        Department of Veterans' Affairs

        The Argus Centre

        300 La Trobe Street

        Melbourne VIC 3001

QLD: Mr Dennis Casey

        Queensland Rail

        Traveltrain

        2 — nd floor, Railway Centre

        305 Edwards Street

        Brisbane QLD 4000

Reports

State Offices will be provided with a hard copy of the following listings of cases :

• Special Register clients who are eligible.

• All other clients who are eligible

Contact Officers

Premala Walsh                                                 Masuda Sheikh

Project Officer                                                  Asst. Director

(06) 289 4737                                                 (06) 289 6442