“This is their money”: Aussies to receive cash boost in days
The Australian government appears to be on a mission to play Santa, as it attempts to return a whopping $234 million in unclaimed Medicare benefits to one million of its hard-working citizens. Move over, jolly old Saint Nick; it's time for Bill "Santa" Shorten to shine.
It turns out that Australians have been missing out on an average of $240 each in Medicare rebates, akin to losing a crisp, green note between the couch cushions – but on a national scale.
Apparently, the government has been holding onto this financial treasure trove because some Aussies forgot to update their bank details with Medicare. Who knew that keeping your bank info up-to-date could be more rewarding than finding a forgotten $20 in last winter's coat?
Government Services Minister Bill Shorten is riding the sleigh of generosity, announcing that, "We know Australians are doing it tough, and I want to reunite people with millions in unpaid Medicare benefits before the holidays."
In the grand spirit of giving, Shorten has a plan. Australians can reclaim their lost loot within three days by undertaking the Herculean task of updating their bank account details on the myGov website. It's like a high-stakes version of changing your password but with a much more tangible reward – immediate funds in time for holiday shopping sprees.
According to Shorten, the age group with the most to gain from this unexpected Christmas bonus is 18 to 24-year-olds, collectively owed a jaw-dropping $49 million. It seems like Santa Shorten is making a list and checking it twice, ensuring even the Millennials and Gen Zs get their fair share of financial cheer.
While nearly 700,000 lucky Aussies are set to receive a notification about their long-lost financial windfall, there's a Grinchy catch: 300,000 individuals without a myGov account may remain out of reach. It's a modern-day Christmas tragedy – the equivalent of getting coal in your stocking because you forgot to sign up for the "nice" list.
Opposition spokesman Paul Fletcher is urging Australians to create a myGov account, stating, "Two minutes on the app, three days later money in your account, good news for Christmas." It's like a financial magic trick - poof, and the money appears!
In the midst of this Yuletide monetary magic, opposition spokesman Paul Fletcher throws some shade, claiming the coalition exposed these unclaimed benefits figures in October. "Families are struggling with cost-of-living pressures, and this is their money, not the government's," he declared, sounding like a fiscal superhero fighting for the rights of the underpaid and overtaxed.
So, as Aussies rush to create myGov accounts and update their banking details, it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Santa Shorten and his merry band of government officials are on a mission to spread holiday cheer, one direct deposit at a time.
Who needs mistletoe when you can kiss your financial worries goodbye, thanks to the jingling sound of unclaimed Medicare benefits? It's the season of giving, after all, and in Australia, Santa Shorten is coming to town.
Image: Getty