Liberals candidate Melissa Price says her party will index service pensions to inflation if it wins government.
“Labor’s had six years to do this, but they didn’t,” Ms Price said.
“In fact, they opposed it every single day.”
You can read her statement here:
MEDIA STATEMENT
1.8.2013
Liberals to provide fairness to for local veterans
Hundreds of veterans on military superannuation pensions in Durack will receive a fairer deal under the Liberal’s policy to provide fair indexation of pensions.
Liberal for Durack, Ms Melissa Price, said the Liberals would ensure military superannuation pensions are indexed in the same way as age pensions.
“Local veterans and their families have waited too long for fairness,” Ms Price said.
“As far as I’m concerned, Australia should protect and watch over veterans and their families, in the same way that our veterans have protected and watched over our country.
“Under current legislation, the government increases military superannuation pensions by the consumer price index. By contrast, age pensions are indexed according to a formula based around growth in the consumer price index, male total average weekly earnings and the pensioner and beneficiary living cost index.
“If it’s inadequate to lift Centrelink pensions by just the consumer price index, then it’s even less fair to apply only that index to those who have risked their lives for our country.
“Kevin Rudd promised fairness for Defence Forces Retirement Benefits and the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits military superannuation pensions in 2007. Then after the election, he broke his word.
“Once again, we saw fake change from Kevin Rudd and Labor. Kevin Rudd and Labor fooled veterans once in 2007 with their promise and now they are trying to fool veterans again with another promise on fair indexation. Local veterans and their families won’t be fooled twice by Kevin Rudd and his fake promises.
“Labor’s had six years to do this, but they didn’t. In fact, they opposed it every single day.”
Ms Price said veterans groups and RSLs throughout Durack knew that the Coalition was committed to providing indexation fairness since before the last election.
“This was our promise in 2010 and Tony Abbott and the Coalition put this to Parliament after the 2010 election – but Labor and the Greens voted it down,” she said.
“The Liberals will honour our pledge. We will keep our word. Australia’s veterans who have risked life and limb deserve better than a government that says one thing before an election and another thing after. “
-ENDS-