KEN FOSTER OAM JP
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
VIETNAM VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
MEDIA RELEASE
12 JUNE 2014
VETERANS PENSION – COMPENSATION INDEXATION
Mr Hockey may say his budget is fair (the Oz 12/6) but disabled war veterans do not agree. In March 2014 the government introduced the Fair Indexation Bill so that superannuation payments to long term former members of the Defence Force will now be indexed against Male Total Average Weekly Earnings.
Two months later, in his budget, Mr Hockey proposes to remove the same fair indexation from payments made to disabled war veterans who are unable to work due to illnesses or injuries they received serving the nation in war or warlike operations. By way of explanation for this contradiction the Department of Veterans Affairs tells veterans that this indexation change “will align (disabled war veteran) pension indexation with those for other social security payments.” There has been no comment from the Minister for Veterans Affairs on this unfair policy.
Veterans reject the notion that disability payments made to war veterans are just another form of social welfare. These payments are compensation to veterans whose lives have been not only put at risk but have been damaged through their war service to the government and the people of Australia. If Mr Hockey has any sense of fairness he will reverse this budget measure.
Media Contact. Ken Foster – 0413 046 077
