B63/1991 INCREASED VALUE OF THE TELEPHONE RENTAL CONCESSION (TRC) TO WORLD WAR 1 VETERANS

DATE OF ISSUE:  24 December 1991

INCREASED VALUE OF THE TELEPHONE RENTAL CONCESSION (TRC) TO WORLD WAR 1 VETERANS

Background

In 1989 TRC was extended to all World War 1 veterans with a telephone connected in their name where they lived (DI B33/89 and DI B03/90 refer).

2.   In the 1992 Budget the Government announced that the value of the TRC for World War 1 veterans would be increased to cover the full Telephone Rental Charge.

Eligibility Guidelines

3.   Existing eligibility criteria for World War 1 veterans remain unchanged.

Implementation Date

4.   The implementation date is 1 January 1992, however the issue of TRC vouchers at the increased rate will coincide with the next bulk issue in early December 1991.

Implementation Procedures

5.   All World War 1 veterans currently eligible for the TRC will be issued automatically in December 1991 with TRC vouchers at the increased rate.  An information sheet explaining the TRC voucher increase and the new Telephone Allowance Scheme will also be issued with the vouchers in early December 1991.

6.   A publicity campaign will be mounted in an attempt to identify any World War 1 veterans for whom no information is held on the system.  Publicity will be via the Age Pension News, Vetlink, the RSL Newsletter, and other publications as well as through country visits and outreach programs.

7.   Category 1 in the table at Attachment A shows the numbers of World War 1 veterans who will automatically be issued with TRC vouchers at the increased rate.  The system extracts these based on a recorded telephone number and a recorded Telephone Subscriber Indicator (TSI).

8.   We have been advised that the validity of categories 2 to 3 is questionable and consequently some of these World War 1 veterans should perhaps be receiving the TRC.  It has been decided therefore to write to these veterans to check their eligibility for the concession.  These letters will be extracted and despatched by Central Office as soon as possible.  Unfortunately these letters cannot be sent prior to the Bulk Issue of TRC vouchers in December 1991.

Processing Returned Forms/New Claims

9.   If any World War 1 veterans who are already on the system are to be given the concession, the following procedures should be followed:

a)   access the client's record on the client Registration System, enter the telephone number, and set the telephone subscriber indicator (TSI) to "Y" - yes; or

b)   access the client's record on the TRC System (TC.UP) screen, enter the telephone number and set the TSI to "Y" - yes.

10.  Should an enquiry be received from a person not on the CDB, normal procedures are to be followed to determine the enquirer's eligibility.  If the enquirer provides sufficient information to be recorded as a client and is determined to be a World War 1 veteran, the telephone number is also to be recorded and the TSI set to "Y".  The TRC system will then issue vouchers automatically.

11.  As some World War 1 veterans could be receiving age pension, scope exists for both departments to pay the concession to the same household.  The DSS computer system is currently unable to identify the client group.

12.  New TRC applications, including those from veterans recorded on the system but not yet in receipt of TRC, should be checked with the DSS Regional Office to ensure no double payments are made.

13.  Details of eligible clients for the bulk issue of TRC vouchers were compiled on magnetic tapes over the weekend 16/17 November 1991.  Any World War 1 veterans who qualify for the TRC after that weekend could have vouchers issued manually.

Contact Officers

14.  The project manager is Colette Woodford (06) 289 6684 and the project officer is Peter Thorp (06) 289 6409.  Any enquiries on ADP matters should be directed in the first instance to Ken Stewart (06) 289 6188.

PETER HAWKER

NATIONAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR

BENEFITS

Attachment A

STATISTICS - WORLD WAR 1 TELEPHONE RENTAL CONCESSION

NSW — VIC — QLD — SA — WA — TAS — TOTAL

1. Telephone No.

Recorded =  YES

TSI = Y — 205 — 209 — 63 — 60 — 45 — 17 — 599

2. Telephone No.

Recorded = NO

TSI = Space — 269 — 170 — 57 — 41 — 42 — 7 — 586

3. Telephone No.

Recorded = NO

TSI = N — 125 — 99 — 88 — 29 — 28 — 10 — 379

4. Telephone No.

Recorded = YES

TSI = N — 5 — 9 — 6 — 7 — 2 — 0 — 29

______________________________________________________________

TOTAL — 604 — 487 — 214 — 137 — 117 — 34 — 1593

Note:  TSI  =  Telephone Subscriber Indicator