Chief Minister Andrew Barr has foreshadowed a crackdown on concessions and discounts, in a search for savings for a budget deep in the red.
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Concessions are given to seniors and pensioners, people on low incomes, veterans, people with disabilities and students.
Eligible people variously receive discounts on car registration, bus travel, rates bills, power and water charges, taxis, funerals and glasses.
Mr Barr said the amount handed out in the key concessions had increased 9 per cent a year over the past five years, amounting to $46.7 million in 2013-14 and still more in 2014-15.
The big recipients are pensioners and people on veterans' pension cards, who are eligible for all of the discounts on offer. People on health care cards also get most of the concessions.
The lion's share goes to discounts on energy and gas bills, amounting to $12.1 million a year, or an average of $424 for each of 28,500 households. Just over 15,000 households received an average $377 off their water and sewerage bills, costing $5 million Schools and not-for-profit groups also received the water and sewerage rebate.
Discounts on rates for 14,123 homeowners cost $8.7 million a year. Among homeowners, a lucky 2330 who entered the scheme almost 20 years ago only pay half rates, a discount worth an average $1100 a household. The rest received an average $520.
More than 300 schools, churches, businesses and non-profit groups also receive rates exemptions.
Pensioner transport on buses costs the government $7.7 million a year, and taxi subsidies $1.5 million a year. The funeral assistance program costs $200,000 a year and and the spectacle scheme $1.5 million a year.
Car registration is another big one, helping 36,400 Canberrans a year. Pensioners, veterans, diplomats and "privileged personnel" pay nothing for car registrations and driver's licences. Farmers and people with gas or electric cars, and seniors, and the unemployed also get discounts.
Car registration and driver's licence concessions cost the government $4.1 million a year.
On top of that, the government subsidises dental care, costing $9.7 million, and public housing rents, costing $142 million.
The government has called for feedback until April 10 on what concessions are most important, who should get them and how to reduce pressure on the concessions scheme in the lead-up to the 2015-16 budget. It is facing a $770 million deficit this year, and a $250 million deficit in 2015-16.
Putting more pressure on the budget, the Commonwealth withdrew $2.2 million in funding for concessions for out-of-state seniors and pensioners.
The government discussion paper says in times of budget constraint, continuing large increases in the cost of concessions might not be sustainable. It suggests reduced funding for "lower priority concessions" while maintaining the concessions that had the largest impact on people most in need.
Mr Barr said an extra $6.6 million had been allocated to this year's budget to pay for concessions. Concessions must be financially sustainable in the long-term, he said, but promised that discounts would continue for "transport and basic services" for vulnerable and disadvantaged people.
Liberals community services spokeswoman Nicole Lawder said the government must be very careful not to make the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people worse off by abolishing concessions.