The Victorian Companion Card is a free card for people eligible to receive it. The card allows a person’s carer free entry into participating venues and events. Cards are issued on a 5 or 10 year basis with no fees or charges.
The Companion Card is for people with significant and permanent disability who have a lifelong need for a high level of attendant care to participate in social activities or events where an entry fee is charged.
Who accepts the Companion Card?
The card is accepted by a range of organisations, from local councils to popular recreation activities or events including:
- AFL (Australian Football League)
- Ticketmaster
- Village cinemas
- Arts Centre
- Melbourne Zoo.
The card can also be used on Victorian public transport. You can have your companions travel for free on all train, tram and metropolitan bus services, as well as country trains, coach and town bus services.
Find out which organisations are part of the Victorian Companion Card program as not all Victorian events and venues accept the card.
The Companion Card program is managed by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.
Companion Card background
Under anti-discrimination legislation, it is unlawful for a business to discriminate against a person with disability who has the need for high level support from a carer.
The Companion Card helps businesses identify who may need extra support and helps meet their requirements under anti-discrimination legislation.
Why have a Companion Card?
People with disability have a right to equal participation in the community. In the past, a person with disability who needed a companion for high-level support was paying for 2 tickets to attend an event or activity – one for themselves and one for their companion. This practice is discriminatory because it has the effect of increasing the admission and/or booking price for the person with disability.
The Companion Card was developed in response to this discrimination. It was understood people with disability have a right to equal participation in the community. Developed in Victoria, the card is now available across Australia.
A timeline of the Companion Card
- 1997: Victorian Network On Recreation and Disability (VICNORD), made up of people with disability, campaigns for fair ticketing
- 1999: Melbourne City Council provides seed funding for concept development
- 2000: Minister for Sport and Recreation approves additional funding for industry consultations
- 2002: Department of Human Services secures funding for 3 years for the Companion Card program
- 2003: Implementation Reference Group is established including sports and entertainment industry, people with disability, VICNORD, Department of Human Services. It is chaired by the Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria.
- 2003: Companion Card pilot project and subsequent launch of program
- 2009: The Companion Card program is nationalised across Australia
- 2011: The Companion Card program transfers from Department of Planning and Community Development to Department of Health and Human Services
- 2021: The Companion Card program transfers from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.