VANZ News Issue 3
The New Travel Concession Scheme
The new Travel Concession scheme was introduced on 13 May 2010. Proposed by the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association, it provides a fairer and more equitable approach to the payment of Travel Concessions. All qualifying veterans are treated equally regardless of where they live or to which part of New Zealand they undertake a journey.
Travel Concessions can be paid for personal or private journeys within New Zealand for:
- one-way trips of 80 km or more or return trips of 160 km or more; and
- trips taken by public transport service, scheduled air service, or private vehicle.
The Travel Concession payable:
- on a public transport service is a refund of the cost of the ticket;
- on a scheduled air service is the lesser of either the cost of the ticket or 22.5 cents per kilometre; or
- by private vehicle is 22.5 cents per kilometre.
Where a payment is based on distance travelled, the Wises Maps website (www.wises.co.nz) is used to determine the shortest road distance between:
- the centre of the nearest city, town or settlement to your starting location and
- the centre of the nearest city, town or settlement of your final destination; or
- from airport to airport when travelling by scheduled air service.
If a claim is made for a journey using a public transport service, the original ticket must be provided along with evidence of the cost of the ticket. If eligible, an escort’s ticket and evidence of ticket cost must also be provided.
A veteran using a scheduled air service needs to provide his or her original tickets or boarding passes along with evidence of the tickets cost. A payment cannot be made for an escort when travelling by a scheduled air service.
A veteran travelling by private vehicle needs to provide original full EFTPOS receipts or GST receipts for fuel purchased at the nearest locality to both his or her start location and final destination. Only one Travel Concession will be paid for a journey undertaken in the same private vehicle.
A Travel Concession Application Form [pdf 123kb] and Information Sheet [pdf 77kb] can be obtained by calling the VANZ Enquiry Line on freephone 0800 483 8372.