“43 Travel concessions

• “(1) A person who is eligible for, or is granted, a travel concession under regulation 43A may, in respect of a journey described in regulation 43B, claim a refund under regulation 43C for the amount referred to in regulation 43D.

  “(2) The Secretary must pay the refund, except as provided in regulation 43E.

“43A Eligibility for 3 types of travel concession

• “(1) A person is eligible for a full travel concession if he or she—

  • “(a) receives a permanent pension in respect of total disablement; or

  • “(b) receives, and has received continuously for the immediate past 3 years, a temporary pension in respect of total disablement.

  “(2) A person who is eligible for a full travel concession may, in addition, be granted an escorted travel concession in respect of travel by public transport services if the Secretary is satisfied that the person—

  • “(a) is totally blind; or

  • “(b) has suffered the loss of both legs above the knee; or

  • “(c) receives all or part of the disablement pension in respect of the amputation of all or part of a limb; or

  • “(d) is otherwise unfit to travel alone.

  “(3) A person may be granted a partial travel concession if the Secretary is satisfied that the person receives, in respect of a disablement that restricts mobility, a permanent pension at a rate exceeding 50% of the pension payable for total disablements.

  “(4) A person who wishes to apply to the Secretary for an escorted travel concession or a partial travel concession must do so in writing.

“43B Journeys for which refunds available

• The journeys for which refunds are available to people entitled to, or granted, a travel concession are journeys within New Zealand that—

  • “(a) are for personal or private purposes, and not for purposes associated with employment or self-employment; and

  • “(b) are one-way trips of 80 km or more, or return trips of 160 km or more; and

  • “(c) are taken by—

    • “(i) a public transport service (as defined in section 4 of the Public Transport Management Act 2008); or

    • “(ii) a scheduled air service; or

    • “(iii) private vehicle (such as a car, motorbike, or van).

“43C How to claim refund

• “(1) Every claim for a refund by a person entitled to, or granted, a travel concession must—

  • “(a) be made after the journey is completed but before the end of the calendar month following the month in which the journey was completed; and

  • “(b) be in writing; and if the Secretary provides a form for the purpose, must be on that form; and

  • “(c) include the evidence (if any) that the Secretary requires to prove that the journey was undertaken.

  “(2) Despite subclause (1)(a), the Secretary may accept a late claim if satisfied that there is good reason for the lateness.

“43D Amounts payable under travel concessions

• “(1) The amounts payable to a person entitled to a full travel concession are as follows:

  • “(a) in respect of travel by a public transport service, a refund of the cost of the ticket:

  • “(b) in respect of travel by a scheduled air service, the lesser of—

    • “(i) the cost of the ticket; or

    • “(ii) 22.5 cents per km:

  • “(c) in respect of travel by private vehicle, 22.5 cents per km.

  “(2) A person granted an escorted travel concession is entitled, in respect of a journey by a public transport service, to a refund of the cost of—

  • “(a) his or her own ticket; and

  • “(b) the ticket of the person (if any) who escorted him or her on the journey.

  “(3) A person granted a partial travel concession is entitled to half the amount that would be available under a full travel concession.

  “(4) For the purposes of subclause (1)(b)(ii) and (c), distances are as determined by the Secretary on the following basis:

  • “(a) in the case of travel by a scheduled air service, the distance between the airports concerned:

  • “(b) in the case of travel by private vehicle, the shortest road distance between the nearest start and finish localities identified by the Secretary (and not door-to-door).

“43E When refunds not payable

• “(1) A person who is entitled to, or granted, a travel concession is not entitled to a refund for a journey if—

  • “(a) the journey was, or could have been, undertaken at no cost by using a SuperGold card; or

  • “(b) the person was or is entitled to be reimbursed for the cost of the journey under any other enactment (including under regulation 40, 41, or 42); or

  • “(c) the journey was made by private vehicle and another person claims a refund under regulation 43C in respect of the same journey.

  “(2) The Secretary may decline to pay a refund for a journey if—

  • “(a) the Secretary is not satisfied that the claimant undertook the journey to which the claim relates; or

  • “(b) the claimant has provided insufficient or inaccurate details about the journey.”