C32/1998 Administration of concessions granted to veterans on Great Southern Railway journeys

Purpose

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction (DI) is to provide advice on the handling of enquiries about the concessions granted to veterans on Great Southern Railway (GSR) journeys.

Australian National Railway Commission

The Australian National Railway Commission (AN) operated passenger services along three tracks.  These were:

• The Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth;
• The Overland from Melbourne to Adelaide; and
• The Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs.

The track on these routes was owned either by the Commonwealth or by the State through which it ran.  Commonwealth owned track on these journeys was as follows:

• The Indian Pacific between Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie;
• The Overland between Wolseley and Adelaide; and
• The Ghan between Adelaide to Alice Springs (whole journey).

Concessions granted to veterans

Concessions granted to DVA pensioners on AN fall into two categories:

• those granted to holders of Pensioner Concession Cards (PCC's); and
• those granted on account of other criteria.

The concessions granted to members of the veteran community on the basis of possession of a PCC do not differ in any way from those offered to DSS Pensioners who hold PCC's.

Reimbursement for concessions

AN was reimbursed for concessions according to which Government owned the track over which the concession was granted.  For journeys which covered several jurisdictions more than one Government was liable to reimburse AN.

For example, for a trip made on the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth at the concessional rate the New South Wales Government would reimburse AN for travel between Sydney and Broken Hill, the Commonwealth between Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie, and the West Australian Government between Kalgoorlie and Perth.

Sale of AN

AN was sold to the Great Southern Railway (Passenger) Consortium (GSR) on 31 October 1998.

Maintenance of concessions on GSR

Prior to the sale of AN the Commonwealth Government made a commitment that core Commonwealth concessions granted on these journeys would be maintained.  The sale agreement drawn up between the Commonwealth and GSR makes provision for the continuation of concessions.

The various jurisdictions reimburse GSR for concessional travel according to the same boundaries used with AN.

Administration of concessions on GSR

The Department of Transport and Regional Development (DOTARD) was given responsibility for administering concessions from the date of the sale until 30 June 1998.  From 1 July 1998 onwards the Department of Social Security (DSS) has been the lead agency for administering concessions on GSR.

Since the sale of AN DVA has been working closely with DSS on concessions policy affecting members of the veteran community.  From 1 July 1998 DVA has also been issuing travel warrants to eligible veterans.

Background

Section 9 - War Service of the AN Pass Manual listed the concessions granted to members of the veteran community.  These were offered to a variety of different veteran groups (mainly those receiving particular types of Disability Pension).  Of the concessions granted only two had been used with any particular frequency.

“Incapacitated” veterans received free first class travel, including sleepers but excluding meals over the following AN track:

• The Indian Pacific between Broken Hill and Coonamia;
• The Overland between Wolseley and Adelaide; and
• The Ghan between Adelaide to Alice Springs.

Additionally the Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex Service Men and Women (TPI Federation) were granted forty free first class return tickets on the Indian Pacific each year.  These tickets were distributed to the membership by means of a ballot.

In both cases accompanying carers were granted the same concession on presentation of a medical certificate stating the carers name and that the veteran required care for the journey.

Both these concessions were preserved in their entirety in the sale agreement.  The forty tickets on the Indian Pacific was to remain an arrangement between GSR and the TPI Federation, with the Commonwealth reimbursing GSR for the cost of travel.

Creating a single veteran concession

During discussions with the Commonwealth GSR had repeatedly raised the issue of the complexity of the range of concessions offered by AN and the difficulty in adequately administering the system.  DVA and DSS were also of the view that the concessions were to complicated for practical and efficient long term administration.

The relative obscurity of majority of concessions and the low numbers of veterans involved presented an opportunity to streamline the veteran concessions formerly offered by AN.  In discussions between DVA, DSS and GSR the decision was taken to increase the concession offered to eligible veterans to that granted to incapacitated veterans (the highest level concession).

The new concession is called the Special Veteran Concession.

Extending the track covered by this concession

A further administrative anomaly was identified in that the Indian Pacific track covered by the concession ran from Broken Hill to Coonamia (north of Adelaide), whereas the track over which the Commonwealth has influence extends from Broken Hill to Kalgoorlie.

DVA, DSS and GSR agreed to extend the track covered by this concession from Coonamia to Kalgoorlie.

The Special Veteran Concession

The Special Veteran Concession provides for the following.

Free first class travel including sleepers, but excluding meals, over the following sections of track:

• the Indian Pacific between Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie
• the Overlander between Adelaide and Wolseley
• the Ghan between Adelaide and Alice Springs

If the veteran requires a carer for the journey the carer is entitled to the same concession on presentation of a medical certificate stating the carer's name and that the veteran requires care on the journey.

Eligible veterans

The following categories of veteran are eligible for the Special Veteran Concession:

• Disability Pensioners receiving the Totally and Permanently Incapacitated rate of pension;
• Disability Pensioners receiving the Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate of pension;
• Disability Pensioners receiving the Intermediate rate of pension;
• Disability Pensioners receiving the Blinded rate of pension;
• Disability Pensioners receiving the Specific Disability amount Items 1-14 (listed under Section 27 of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986;
• Disability Pensioners receiving the Pulmonary Tuberculosis - Class B rate of pension;
• Disability Pensioners receiving the Pulmonary Tuberculosis - Class C rate of pension;
• WWI veterans, spouses and widows; and
• Disability Pensioners in South Australia who receive the Disability Pension at 100% of the General Rate, and who are in possession of the Incapacitated Ex Service Personnel card issued by the South Australian Passenger Transport Board.

Disability Pensioners in South Australia on 100% of the General Rate

Prior to the sale of AN this concession had been granted to veterans in South on 100% of the General Rate of the Disability Pension.  According to a strict interpretation of the AN Pass Manual this group did not qualify for the concession.

However, the South Australian Passenger Transport Board (PTB) issues an Incapacitated Ex Service Personnel card which pensioners on 100% of the General Rate are eligible to receive.  The concession on GSR is part of the entitlements which are attached to this card.  Because of the Commonwealth's commitment to maintaining concessions at pre-sale levels 100% Disability Pensioners in South Australia retain their eligibility.

The concession is granted to Disability Pensioners on 100% of the General Rate only in South Australia - nowhere else - and only to those in possession of the Incapacitated Ex Service Personnel card.

Concession granted through issue of vouchers

To be granted the Special Veteran Concession eligible veterans need to be issued with a voucher which will cover the relevant sections of the intended journey.

There are two ways for veterans to be issued with these vouchers:

• members of the TPI Federation and the Extremely Disabled War Veterans Association (EDA Association) do so by making an application to their respective organisations;
• all other eligible veterans need to make an application directly to the Department.

Apart from this, the process for issuing applications is the same.

Prior to making an application

Prior to making an application veterans should book their ticket and receive a booking number.

While this stipulation is not crucial to processing the application it is encouraged on the grounds that it will limit requests for vouchers being made from a speculative rather than actual intention of travelling.

It is not necessary for the veteran to collect their tickets at this stage.

Information needed in applications

When making an application veterans need to supply the following information:

• their name;
• their address;
• their DVA reference number;
• their contact telephone number;
• the dates on which they intend to travel;
• the medical certificate, if they require a carer;
• the departure and destination points for their journey;
• the booking office at which they booked the ticket; and
• the booking number.

This information is the same whether the veteran is making an application through their ex service organisation or directly to DVA.

Posting applications

It is recommended that applications for vouchers are submitted a minimum of four (4) weeks before the intended date of departure.

Contacts for members of the TPI Federation

If enquiries are received from a member of the TPI Federation then they should be directed to contact their State Branch of the Federation for further details on how to make their application.

Contact for members of the EDA Association

Members of the EDA Association should be directed to make their application to:

Mr Everett Ambrose

National Secretary

Extremely Disabled War Veterans Association of Australia

PO Box 145

KALAMUNDA  WA  6926

Contact for all other veterans

All other veterans (including TPI's and EDA's who are not members of the respective associations) should post their application to:

Rail Concessions Officer

Department of Veterans' Affairs

Income Support Branch

PO Box 21

Woden  ACT  2606

On receiving the voucher

On receiving the voucher the veteran should then go and collect the tickets.  The cost of travel over areas covered by the voucher will be deducted from the fare.

The veteran will be required to pay for any balance of the fare over those areas not covered by the voucher.

Contact for DVA officers

Clarification regarding this concession can be obtained from the Rail Concessions Officer, Paolo Kraushaar, Income Support Branch, Tel. (02) 6289 6515.

Booking the ticket

When booking the ticket the veteran should inform the booking agent that they possess a PCC.

Making the application

The process for applying for the voucher is exactly the same as that given above.

They should be aware that if they have an accompanying carer who is not in possession of a PCC, the carer might not be eligible for any other concession apart from that over Commonwealth owned track.

Collecting the ticket

The veteran should be informed that they need to present their PCC when they collect their ticket in order to receive the maximum amount of concession available to them.