Mr Jenkins asked the Minister representing the Minister for Family and Community Services, upon notice, on 3 November 2003:

(1) How many Health Care Card recipients reside in (a) Victoria, and (b) the postcode areas (i) 3074, (ii) 3075, (iii) 3076, (iv) 3082, (v) 3083, (vi) 3087, (vii) 3088, (viii) 3089, (ix) 3090, (x) 3091, and (xi) 3752.

(2) How many Health Care Card holders not receiving a Centrelink payment, pension, benefit or equivalent payment, reside in (a) Victoria, and (b) the postcode areas (i) 3074, (ii) 3075, (iii) 3076, (iv) 3082, (v) 3083, (vi) 3087, (vii) 3088, (viii) 3089, (ix) 3090, (x) 3091, and (xi) 3752.

Mr Anthony (Minister for Children and Youth Affairs) —The Minister for Family and Community Services has provided the following answer to the honourable member's question:

Data provided is current as at October 2003.

(1) (a) 404 364 Health Care Card holders reside in Victoria.

(b) The number of Health Care Card holders in each specified postcode area is as follows:

(2) (a) There are 121 084 Health Care Card holders in Victoria who do not receive a Centrelink payment, pension, benefit or equivalent payment. The categories of people who receive these Health Care Cards are people on low incomes, foster children, certain disabled children, and former long-term unemployed income support recipients who have obtained employment (such customers can retain their card for 6 months after entering employment, to ease the transition from welfare to work).

(b) The number of Health Care Card holders who are not receiving a Centrelink payment, pension, benefit or equivalent payment, and reside in the specified postcode areas, is as follows: