Constituency questions
Murray Plains electorate
Mr WALSH (Murray Plains) (14:38): (6436) My constituency question is to the Minister for Health. A constituent of mine has asked me to raise with the minister the issue that the reimbursement for travel and accommodation costs paid under the Victorian patient transport assistance scheme, or VPTAS, has not kept pace with the increased costs of fuel and overnight accommodation. What information can the minister provide my constituent as to when there will be a review of the reimbursement rates under VPTAS? The travel reimbursement at the moment is 21 cents per kilometre, yet the ATO ruling on reimbursement is 66 cents per kilometre. The overnight reimbursement is $45 per night, exclusive of GST, which is well below the cost of a motel room in a regional centre. Many country pensioners are finding it extremely challenging to be able to afford the cost of travel for critical medical appointments and believe a review of the reimbursement rate is well overdue.