Western Australian drivers applying for the state’s $100 fuel support payment by post are facing waits of up to 10 weeks, with the Cook Government acknowledging that paper applications take far longer to process than online claims.
Applicants who want to receive the payment before Christmas and cannot access, or choose not to use, the ServiceWA app or online form would have needed to post their applications about two weeks ago.
A government spokeswoman said applicants should “generally allow approximately nine to 10 weeks from posting their application to receiving their payment”, with delivery potentially taking longer in some regional areas.
More than one million of Western Australia’s 2.3 million eligible driver’s licence holders have applied since the scheme opened on July 1. About $110 million has been paid out so far.
Paper claims are being processed by about 10 full-time equivalent staff at the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure, who are handling roughly 3,000 applications a day.
The government said extra staff had been deployed and were working overtime and at weekends, with further resources due to be added this week.
Rita Saffioti, the state Treasurer, told parliament last month that 96 per cent of applications had been made through the ServiceWA app. That left between 40,000 and 50,000 claims submitted by post.
ServiceWA and other online applications are approved within one to two days.
The Cook Government allocated $198 million to the fuel support payment, including $11 million for administration. The scheme is part of about $1 billion in cost-of-living measures, which also include WA student assistance payments and a $2.80 cap on public transport fares.
Steve Martin, the Opposition’s transport spokesman, said the delays had created an “absurd situation” as families waited for support promised in May.
“Despite allocating $11 million to administer the scheme, as of the end of September, 41 per cent of the allocated funds have still not been paid and less than half of WA drivers have received a payment,” he said.
Mr Martin also criticised the government for sending taxpayer-funded letters from the premier promoting the payment during the Secret Harbour by-election while paper claims remained outstanding.
“Perhaps the government should redirect some of their spin doctors to help the 10 staff work through the mountain of 50,000 or so paper applications,” he said.
As of October 15, more than $750,000 in fuel support payments had been made to charities.
