[Your name and address]
[Date]
Dear [Member],

From 1 July 2016 the fees for pensioners and other concession card holders for a standard application to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) more than doubled, increasing from $5 to $12.  Every dollar counts for pensioners and other concession card holders. This increase in fees will create a barrier for vulnerable and disadvantaged tenants in lodging an application.

I am concerned about the increase in application fees to NCAT for concession cardholders and the lack of consultation around the change in the fee structure.

The previous level of reduction in fees down to $5 for a standard application to NCAT for concession cardholders reflected a strong commitment to ensuring that vulnerable people are able to access the justice system.

The recent increase has occurred because of a change in the way that fees are calculated for concession cardholders. Concession fees for applications to NCAT are now set at 25% of the full fee. This resulted in a considerable increase in this instance, but I am also concerned about the long-term impact of the change for equitable access.  

Following this method of calculation, concession fees will now be increased whenever other fees are increased and at the same rate.  However, pensions do not generally increase at the same rate as other incomes and concession cardholders will feel the impact of any future increases more significantly.

I also find it very concerning that this increase in fees and change in method of calculation occurred with no consultation with members of the NCAT liaison groups or relevant established consultative forums.

The increase in fees and change in method of calculation for concession holder fees has been put into effect through an amendment to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal Regulation. I urge you to support the current motion on notice disallowing item [3] of Schedule 1 of the Civil and Administrative Tribunal Amendment (Fees) Regulation 2016, published on the NSW Legislation website on 1 July 2016.

Keeping concession fees for NCAT at an affordable level ensures that those who are most vulnerable are still able to access justice. 

Thank you for considering this request, and I hope you are able to respond to this letter.

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]