Minister for Housing and Aged Care Bronwyn Pike cut a giant birthday cake during a genteel Sunday afternoon tea dance at North Melbourne Town Hall to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Seniors Card.

Ms Pike and veteran stage and screen star Val Jellay also added their signatures to a huge birthday card.

Magicians and cartoonists wandered around tables entertaining seniors between dances during the afternoon.

The Seniors Card is a Victorian Government program in partnership with some 6,000 businesses to provide discounts to the State’s 730,000 Seniors Card holders.

Cards are issued free to all Victorians over 60 who are not in full-time employment, as a tangible acknowledgement of their continuing contribution to the State.

In 1991, then-Premier Joan Kirner kicked off the Seniors Card with Richmond Football Club legend Jack Dyer.

Then, there were 92 business supporters and one Seniors Card directory. Now there are 6,000 supporters and three directories (central, metropolitan and rural) and these are online, so that seniors can search the internet for bargains.