Data Reveals Newcastle Has $2.94 Million in Unclaimed Money Sitting in Revenue NSW

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Hunter residents are being urged to check if they are eligible for a portion of the millions of dollars waiting to be claimed through Revenue NSW.

Minister for Finance Damien Tudehope said more than $442 million in forgotten money, including

$2.94 million in Newcastle, was sitting with Revenue NSW, including share dividends, trust accounts, refunds, commissions, deceased estates and money from a range of other sources.

“We know many people are doing it tough, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and households are having to keep a close eye on their budget, which is why I encourage people to check their eligibility. You could have hundreds or thousands of dollars that you didn’t know about,” Mr Tudehope said. 

“This money belongs to the people of NSW and I want to make sure it goes back to its rightful owners.”

Revenue NSW holds more than a million unclaimed items from private companies, State Trustees, local councils and government agencies that can’t be returned to the owner because their contact details are out of date and they cannot be tracked down.

“It’s quick and easy to check if you have unclaimed money. Simply visit the Revenue NSW website and type your name into the free search tool. If you do have a claim, notify Revenue NSW and collect your money,” Mr Tudehope said.

“It only takes a few minutes and you could walk away with some extra money in your pocket.”

The NSW Government holds unclaimed money indefinitely until it is claimed."

Unclaimed money by regional LGA as at 16 April 2020:

Location	Money available to claim
Newcastle	$2.94 million
Central Coast	$4.4 million
Wollongong	$3.4 million
Port Macquarie-Hastings	$813,000
Tamworth	$868,000
Tweed Heads	$737,000
Orange	$681,000
Dubbo	$699,000
Coffs Harbour	$661,000
Wagga Wagga	$667,000
Albury	$594,000
Bathurst	$546,000

State Government planning to move ambulance bill collection to Revenue NSW

BY JARROD MELMETH

Debt collectors could be unleashed on unsuspecting residents in the Hunter and across the state who have an outstanding ambulance bill under new laws proposed by the NSW Government.

Under the current laws, a person with an outstanding ambulance debt – unable to pay the fee could seek to have work order applied to address the matter, but under the proposed changes the Chief Commissioner of State Revenue is authorised to take action without taking court action.

Cessnock MP and Shadow Minister for Finance, Services and Property Clayton Barr has labelled the proposed changes as an extremely tough and heartless approach.

"The government are proposing to move to a very heavy-handed draconian-style model where there will be no prisoners taken. It will just seek to seize property, seize assets, seize payments and make sure that ambulance bill is paid, no matter what your circumstances are," Mr Barr said.

The State Debt Recovery Bill 2017 was first introduced into the NSW Parliament in November last year and only recently passed the Legislative Assembly last week and is set to be debated in parliament this week.

Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord said the changes will affect those who are most vulnerable in our community.

"We will have a situation where elderly patients with chest pains will hesitate calling an ambulance in a life-threatening situation - or delay their call until it is too late. Lives will be put at risk," Mr Secord said.

Pictured: Clayton Barr.