The Department of Communities, Housing and the Digital Economy has updated its Smart Savings website to help families feeling the pinch from the rising cost of living.
The Department said Queenslanders could now seamlessly access billions of dollars of concession and rebate savings via the website.
Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk said easing the cost-of-living for the most vulnerable Queenslanders was a priority for the Government.
“We know Queensland households, like those in economies around the world, are facing cost-of-living pressures,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“It’s due to things like flooding and natural disasters, international conflict and rises to fuel prices, ongoing effects of the pandemic, impacts to supply chains and inflation and interest rate rises — Queensland is not immune from these headwinds,” she said.
She said that to access Smart Savings concessions and rebates Queenslanders now only needed to answer a few simple questions via the website to identify a list of potential savings they might be eligible to receive.
Minister for Communities and Housing, Leeanne Enoch said it was important for Queenslanders to remember help was at hand.
“Hundreds of thousands of Queenslanders may be eligible for assistance with day-to-day living costs including energy, water, rates, transport, health, education, training and housing,” Ms Enoch said.
“The improved search functionality of the Smart Savings website makes it easier to access tailored concession and rebate information without having to go to multiple web pages to find what you’re looking for,” she said.
She gave examples of assistance for seniors to be able to apply for up to five Government concessions in one easy process, while people with a disability could apply for repairs and maintenance that would help keep them in their homes longer.
“There is assistance for Queenslanders wanting to retrain and get a new qualification to help find work; there’s assistance for Queenslanders who need help to pay for a pair of basic prescription spectacles, once every two years,” Ms Enoch said.
She said the Smart Savings website was available on desktop, smartphones and other smart devices.
People who prefer talking to someone can call 13QGOV for over-the-phone assistance, Ms Enoch said.
