COTA SA welcomes cost-of-living relief measures announced in the 2026-27 State Budget through the expansion of the Seniors Card scheme, but we will continue to advocate for free ambulance for full aged pensioners, further investment in brain health and dementia and a more streamlined concessions system.

Removing the work cap for the Seniors Card, a change that COTA SA has strongly advocated for and will take effect from 1 July, is expected to enable an additional 80,000 older South Australians to become eligible for everyday discounts on essentials such as public transport, fuel and groceries helping to ease financial pressure at a time when many are struggling with rising costs.

COTA SA Chief Executive, Miranda Starke, says, “We speak to thousands of older South Australians across the state who tell us cost of living pressures and navigating increasingly complex health and support systems are some of their greatest challenges.”

“We are pleased the State Government has acknowledged older South Australians in this state budget, removing the Seniors Card work cap is a simple change that will make a big difference to the cost of living for thousands more older South Australians as they will have more ways to save.”

“The introduction of South Australia’s first rental bond transfer scheme is a small but valuable change that will help many older South Australians by removing a major cost pressure for renters moving house. We know that there are more older renters than ever before and this is a group that is particularly vulnerable and in desperate need of cost-of-living relief so this change is welcomed.

However, COTA SA believes investment is still needed in key system-level changes to better support older South Australians.

“Once again, the State Government has chosen not to bring South Australia in line with the rest of the country by providing free ambulance services for older people on the full Age Pension. It is a serious problem, and we will continue to advocate for this, until the service is free for those on a full Age Pension.”

“We welcome the State Government’s recent commitments in the 2026 State Election to issues that we’ve been advocating for including the expansion of the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS), and increased investment in dementia and brain health initiatives.”

“However, older South Australians continue to tell us that the concessions system remains fragmented, difficult to understand and challenging to navigate. We want to see this system be made simpler and easier, including through cost-of-living and life navigation services and we will continue to advocate for these.

The key priorities COTA SA outlined in its State Budget submission included:

1. Invest in state-wide action on brain health and dementia.
2. Establish a Cost of Living Life Navigation Service for people aged 50+.
3. Introduce free emergency ambulance services for full age pensioners.
4. Strengthen and expand reforms to the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS).
5. Streamline access to concessions for a simpler and more equitable system.

“We know that our proposed priorities will make a difference to older South Australians, supporting them to age well and live good, fulfilling lives, as we’re hearing that people are feeling increasingly uncertain and under pressure,” Miranda continues.

Over the coming days, COTA SA will gather insights from older South Australians through our State Budget survey to understand what this budget means to them.

“The feedback we will receive from the survey will continue to guide our advocacy efforts, ensuring we focus on the issues that impact the everyday lives of older South Australians.

“We will continue to raise the voices of older South Australians to Government and across Parliament to ensure older South Australians feel valued, included and supported in policy decisions,” concludes Miranda.