I understand that people are doing it tough right now, with pensioners especially vulnerable to the rising cost of living.

As Premier of New South Wales, I am committed to relieving cost-of-living pressures and making it easier for people to access financial support.

I am pleased to announce that eligible pensioners living in Kogarah can now apply for a rebate on their council rates to help east cost of living pressures.

An annual concession of up to $250 per property is available to pensioners for ordinary rates and domestic waste charges.

On top of this, a further rebate of up to $87.50 is available for annual water rates and up to $87.50 for annual sewerage rates, where councils provide those services.

Applications for payment of the Pensioner Concession Subsidy to local councils are now open. For more information on eligibility criteria and how to apply please visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-for-pensioner-council-rates-rebates.

These rate rebates are an important relief measure to help ease the financial burden of day to day living expenses for pensioners.

I have heard from people right across NSW who are doing it tough, struggling to pay rent and meet their grocery bills and energy bills.

That is why a top priority of mine is making sure that people who are struggling afford the basic costs of living.

By managing our finances responsibly and by redirecting wasteful spending, we can rebuild our essential services and ensure we provide support when people in NSW need it most.

Finally, I want to send a message to the people of Kogarah that as your local Member of Parliament, I am committed to delivering long-term cost of living relief and ensuring that pensioners have the highest quality of life possible.

Yours sincerely,

The Hon. Chris Minns MP
Premier of New South Wales
Member for Kogarah