Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme

On this page

• Eligibility
• Claiming
• Amount of subsidy
• Assessment queries and reviews
• Find out more

The Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme (TWFS) provides assistance to shippers of bulk wheat transported by sea to Tasmania from the Australian mainland. The aim of the Scheme is to ensure that businesses in Tasmania relying on bulk wheat shipments are not unduly disadvantaged, by paying a rebate against the sea freight costs associated with the Bass Strait crossing.

The original scheme, the Tasmanian Wheat Freight Subsidy Scheme, was introduced in 1989, replacing the 30 year old Tasmanian Wheat Freight Levy (TWFL), which subsidised wheat freight costs to Tasmania. Centrelink assumed responsibility for administering the Scheme in July 2004 when containerised wheat became included in the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme (TFES) and a reconstituted Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme (TWFS) was established to cover bulk wheat shipments.

The Scheme operates under Ministerial Directions, approved by the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads on 25 January 2006. Tasmanian Assistance Services administers the Scheme, from Centrelink's Hobart office, on behalf of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

All claims for assistance for wheat shipments on or after 1 July 2004 will be assessed in accordance with the Ministerial Directions and processed through Tasmanian Assistance Services. Outstanding claims for assistance, for shipments prior to 30 June 2004, should be directed to the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment.

Eligibility

You may be eligible if you have shipped bulk wheat from the Australian mainland to Tasmania and have paid the sea freight costs. Bulk wheat means wheat shipped loose in a ship’s hold or tanks without any form of unitisation or packaging.

Claiming

To claim Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme (TWFS) assistance, you can print out the claim form and information. The claim form includes instructions for completing and lodging your claim. Details of the supporting documentation for your claim are on page 1 of the claim form.

• Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme Claim for Assistance form

Note: If you are lodging your first claim you must complete the Claimant Information section on page 2 of the claim form. You will also need to do this each time your bank or business details change.

If you need help with your claim, you can contact Tasmanian Assistance Services on:

• phone FreeCALL™ 1800 993 347
• fax (03) 6222 2149
• email: tas.support@centrelink.gov.au

Amount of subsidy

Funding for the Scheme is capped at $1.05 million per financial year. Subject to the availability of annual funding, a shipper may be eligible for a subsidy of $20.65 per tonne, provided that the amount of the payment does not exceed the shipper's freight costs.

Payment under the TWFS is discretionary and the amount of any subsidy is dependent on the level of funding available for the Scheme in each financial year. If the annual funding is fully expended in a financial year, payments may be withheld until the following financial year, and made from that year's funding, at the discretion of the Secretary, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

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Assessment queries and reviews

If you wish to query the assessment of your claim, phone Tasmanian Assistance Services on FreeCALL™ 1800 993 347.

Review of decision

If you disagree with a decision made by Tasmanian Assistance Services, you can write to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government delegate at the address below, requesting that the decision be reviewed:

Assistant Secretary
Maritime Branch
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
GPO Box 594
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Applications to the Assistant Secretary should be made in accordance with clause 7.2 of the Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme Ministerial Directions.

Find out more

For more information or to ask for help, you can:

• refer to the Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme information on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website
• refer to the Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme Ministerial Directions
• phone Tasmanian Assistance Services on FreeCALL™ 1800 993 347
• send a message to Tasmanian Assistance Services at: tas.support@centrelink.gov.au

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