Just 3 per cent of motorists in the Wollongong electorate jumped at the chance to get their green slip refund early.
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But Wollongong MP Paul Scully raised concerns about a “sneaky administrative fee” the government has included in the claims process.
Earlier this year the government announced motorists would get a refund after changes to the CTP insurance scheme.
The government launched the online refund process statewide in early March with business owners the first to officially be able to get some money back.
Mr Scully lodged several questions without notice to Finance Minister Victor Dominello looking to track the number of residents in his electorate who had claimed the refund.
The figures supplied by Mr Dominello state the electorate had 52,559 vehicle owners eligible for a refund.
With business owners the first to be able to claim it, just 1608 of those owners – or 3 per cent – had gotten their money by March 7.
The total amount refunded in the Wollongong electorate over that time was $555,455, with the average repayment being $345.
“I just wanted to make sure that people who are eligible for a green slip refund are claiming that green slip refund,” Mr Scully said.
Mr Scully wasn’t impressed with the fact that motorists are charged a $10 administration fee to get their refund, with those whose claim is $10 or less not eligible to get anything back.
“So people with a refund of less than $10, while they should be perfectly entitled to that refund, and it’s a refund that’s available under the changes to CTP insurance, they will miss out due to the sneaky administrative fee the government’s introduced,” Mr Scully said.
Mr Dominello said the administration fee was $7.87 and was in line with what Service NSW charges other government agencies.
“A minimum threshold of $10 has also been applied,” Mr Dominello said.
“The application of this threshold will leave a surplus of approximately $2.5 million which the government will return to motorists by reducing next year’s medical services levy.”