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Home arrow Media Releases arrow Government commitment to veterans must include better support for all ex-service personnel
Government commitment to veterans must include better support for all ex-service personnel

By Tracee McPate,


Democrat Veterans' Affairs spokesperson Senator Andrew Bartlett has welcomed the government’s commitment to veterans following the Prime Ministers announcement of a $330 million package. 

“The announced measures for veterans, especially proper indexation of particular pensions, are long overdue but certainly welcome,” Senator Bartlett said.  

“One could always be cynical as to why it’s taken the government so long, and why they waited until after Labor had pledged some improvements before promising changes of their own, but the thing that matters is that these long overdue improvements will finally happen, regardless of the political motivations. 

“The Democrats will most certainly support improvements for veterans in the Senate irrespective of who finally forms government.  

“Despite the major parties stated commitment to veterans, both Labor and Liberal still need to do more to ensure that all ex-service personnel, not just war veterans receive better assistance.  There are big gaps through which dedicated service personnel seem to fall if they don’t fit into the category of veterans who’ve seen war like service. 

“The Military Compensation Scheme has had some beneficial changes in recent years, but there is still significant room for improvement in the support provided to ex-service personnel who suffer harm as a result of their regular service or training.

 “The fact that the harm might not have been caused by war related service is no excuse for leaving them on the scrapheap, which is still happening to too many former defence personnel. 

“Both major parties need to commit to improving support for all service personnel if they are genuine in their attempts to assist veterans,” Senator Bartlett said.


   

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11th hour politics

By: Doug (Registered ) on 19-09-2007 00:57

After years of lobbying by various veterans groups the government agrees to raise the pensions of disabled service men and women to near the poverty level. These were people who gave everything to defend Australia Their last fight should have been in a uniform not with a mean spirited penny pinching government. Politicians are very keen to be seen waving the flag but less keen to pick up the bill for injured and disabled veterans. Thank you Senator Bartlett you are both anti war and pro veterans something most of us returned service people are too.

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Sceptical Veteran

By: Kewvet (Registered ) on 19-09-2007 02:50

several years ago - a rather large group of veterans - not all Vietnam but mostly, formed a political party - namely the Ex Service, Service and Veterans Party with the intention of running for the Federal Government in 2004. We were successful - not that we were elected buyt the two major parties at least took notice of us. They realised that the veteran community still know how to vote. After the event [election 2004] it appears that their memory became faded quite quickly as our calls for assistance were ignored. The various RSL heavyweights from across Australia scorned our attempts by saying that Service people ought not get involved in matters best left to tried and true politicians. I feel angry that we were treated this way. No doubt the memory of this will influence how I vote this time. I genuinely hope that others - veterans and their familes take time to not only decide whom they feel they can trust - but before doing so - at least contact the sitting member and informing them of the decision they are taking. 
Only when politicians begin to remember why they are elected to represent the community they serve will our community feel they are being served correctly.

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Be a Sceptic No Longer

By: Jim (Registered ) on 19-09-2007 05:11

Kewvet, the spirit of ESVP has not died, nor will it ever. It is shown now in the large number of groups, ESO and others, who have become increasingly vocal over the past several years, and who are banding together to speak the same words. Government whether it be Liberal or Labor would do well to note the following: "United we are Invincible".

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Clarke review

By: beemer012 (Registered ) on 27-09-2007 06:35

Ya know, I can't remember when the Clarke Review was held to look into all things pertaining to veterans pensions etcetera, etcetera!. I might add that the current Federal Government only implemented three of the recommendations much to the dismay of the Vets. 
Yesterday I received a letter from the Minister for Veterans Affairs advising me the Government had decided to reward all of us with an upgrade in the value of our pensions. All 140,000 returned diggers! 
After all this time and with an election in the wind, would I be classed as being cynical to think that this act is a 'pork-barrelling" exercise to try and win my vote? 
Methinks I might just take the money and still vote for Mr Rudd!

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voting for a politician

By: Kewvet (Registered ) on 27-09-2007 07:11

What a quandry - we are damned if we do and damned if we dont. 
No matter who gets elected - they are all politicians - and when they arrive in Canberra they all get the forgetful disease. 
All they want is for us veterans to lie down and go away. we are an embarrassment to them. Better a dead hero than a dying veteran! 
However - one must say - it is amazing what an election does to the bureaucrats - long lost reports appear and are made out to be life saving!!!

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