Sustained lobbying by Independent Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell and other country MPs appears to have borne fruit with the State Government now looking to increase payments under the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme.

The subsidies for travel and accommodation costs are available for country people who require medical treatment in the capital 
city.

Earlier this month, Mr Bell called for an increase in the accommodation allowance for the PAT Scheme and for all subsidies to be tied to CPI.

Health Minister Chris Picton told the House of Assembly last week the Labor Government had doubled the fuel subsidy from 16c per kilometre to 32¢ per kilometre in its first year in office.

“From my understanding, it is the most generous fuel subsidy in the nation,” Minister Picton said

“It is now our intention to make it an indexation in line with the standard indexation through the government that takes into account both CPI and also other variables that Treasury has a formula 
for.

“That was not previously the case.

“So, there was no indexation that applied to this fuel subsidy and there will now be indexation that will be applied in the future.

“I think that will help to make sure that this keeps pace with increasing costs into the future.”