Just to add - did anyone else notice that Jules had absolutely no idea what she was waffling on about? When in doubt - just keep spouting bulls**t, you're bound to say something pseudo-intelligent...
I'm a bit late to this discussion - but here's an interesting perspective on how a foreigner sees things.
My father-in-law married an American lady while I was still in the service. She has family who have served in the US armed forces, so naturally we got to talking about the differences our two countries have in regard to service life.
Long story short, she was disgusted at the way our government treats our servicemen and women while they are serving, and disgusted at the way we are treated when out. Personally I'd always felt pay and conditions were better for a digger than for the Yanks, but it says something if a foreigner is left with that kind of impression.
But the injustice doesn't just start with the pension. If you leave the ADF before retirement age, your superannuation sits there and does nothing. It's preserved at an amount worked out on your worn rank at the time of discharge. Good luck to you if you had to leave as a Private. That money sits there doing nothing and legislation denies you the right to roll all of it into another super fund to keep it working for you. This is unique to the ADF. And to really add insult to injury, this superannuation is what funds part of your pension. And forget about working and collecting a military pension. Under the old scheme you could, but now you lose your pension while you are working.
Here I was thinking that since the early 1990's all governments have wanted people to fund their own retirements, rather than collect an aged pension. Yet it seems no adjustments are done to ensure that people can retire at age 65 without burdening the taxpayer.
(And there's another argument for another day about the tax you pay over the course of your working life and the pittence the government gives you upon retiring)
Michael, Thankyou for highlighting this situation.
Re John H. I recently received a letter from The Hon. Mr Peter Dutton MP in which he clearly stated the Oppositions stand and I quote "On 5 March 2012, the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Tony Abbott MHR, personally recommitted the Coalition to delivering fair indexation for military superannuants. Mr Abbott first committed the Coalition to this policy on 27 June 2010 during the 2010 election and again at the RSL National Conference on 20 Sep 2011. Under our plan, DFRB and DFRDB military superannuants aged 55 and over will have their superannuation pensions indexed in the same manner as aged and service pensions."
This is but one of many reasons I impatiently wait to cast my vote.
Michael, please keep this alive as it is very close to my b-i-l's similar experiences over the past 40 years.
I have always condoned paying own defence forces above and beyond their for the duty. They have done it for us, those that have lived happily, safely, contentedly, without the fear of exposure to the ultimate sacrifice they have had to endure while on active service because some parly-(wo)men-tarians thought they should do it for us soft-bots back here.
The PM's equivocation, obfuscation, condescending bullsh!t mad me feel sick.
Albert,
I simply cannot believe this odious being is allowed by the labor caucus to continue degrading our once great nation.
It really does display just how low some people will go to make this country a communist regime.
Still is was her that once said "There will be no truth or honesty under the government I lead." Wasn't it?
Our former enemies, the Turks and the Japanese, our Allies in France have far greater respect for the Australian Military than the Labor Government and their leader.
Albert,
What a lovely pair of communists you have picked there Mate.
You know I have never in my life felt this strongly about a politician or any other being for that matter.
She is with out doubt the most contemptible of persons. Forgetting for a moment all of her wrongdoings, her immorality, depravity and corruption; the disgusting, odious example she sets for the children of this once great country is what I find so obscene.
Even worse than her litany of lovers, four at least whom were married with children and worse even than her refusal to correctly index our super.
@jenstar, you are bang on, she is anti Australian, well anti Gillard will win this one, in the battle of the witts she is totally unarmed.
''AND SHE HAS THE AUDACITY TO ATTEND SOLDIERS FUNERALS AND FEIGN SORROW!'' - Posted by: Kevin Freer
Kevin at the last Victoria Cross ceremony in Canberra she was giggling with the GG when they played the National Anthem.
Wouldn't you just love to see the communist cowards in the press gallery and main stream media pick up this shame and bring it to the attention of the voting public. But, it will never happen because they cower away from any pronouncements that might offend their red queen. It must be a bastard of a life for the poor buggars living in fear of incurring the wrath of this despot
My comments; I know she is lying , her mouth is moving, The sad fact is that Labor removed links to indexation of many incomes to CPI in the early 90's , the treatment of the military personnel under the currant system is inadequate, but as Madam said of aged pensioners, they do not generally vote labor , and it took public outcry to get some increase there, the Newstart of $240 per week is below the Australian poverty level and this is where Labors economic mismanagement is sending those who are now losing their jobs.
Military personnel , yes she goes to the funerals ,I believe its political not arising out of true empathy , she offers no comfort to the families and ignores the small group that is the military should be compensated for their service with a honourable income that allows them some comfort .This is a government that gold plated its own benefits , higher than any where else , and ignores the core Australian values , and recognition of military service is part of our ANZAC tradition.
Why does the Labor left hate Vietnam Vets, can't they get over it, a few years ago when they did their first budget this government took many service entitlements off servicemans wifes, when if they had phase the new laws in over a few years and with no war for at least twenty years all Vietnam Vets would have been retired, they couldn't wait, now wifes have to go on unemplyment allowance, it was the wifes that bore the brunt of many of the Vets problems, there is a very strong rumor that the main person behind the changes is a labor lefty who during the Vietnam war went to North Vietnam and actively supported them.
Jay
Makes you wonder what is wrong with a video hookup between the G20 leaders rather than a $400 million junket at our expense. Now there's a thought for your budget Swannee, plus you get to show off your precious NBN.
I have just had a look at the QLD Branch of the Vietnam Veteran's Federation's webpage (vvfqld.com.au) and came across this (dated around 2010):
"DFWA?s David Jamison has negotiated a break-though in the quest for fair indexation of military superannuation.
"The Federal Opposition policy is now to re-index DFRB/DFRDB pensions for those over 55 years of age. The new indexation would be the same as for Service, Age, Widow etc pensions; that is, indexation increases would be in line with increases in the average wage or cost of living whichever is the greater. The new indexation would begin in July 2011. This is a step in the right direction and a credit to David Jamison."
I hope that this remains the Opposition's policy. It's better than nothing, but still disadvantages those on the age pension or are under 55.
Can anyone out there in Smithyland confirm that this is still the Opposition's policy?? If so, we see another contrast between Gillard's rabble and Abbott's team.
PS: David Jamison deserves a lot of credit for this push as well as Pete Criss. Well done gents!
There was legislation put before parliament to change the indexing of these pensions but it was rejected on economic grounds - supposedly. They have managed to spend much more than this would have cost on other committments.
Just another example of hypocrisy by this lot.
Thanks Michael for putting this on your site,
I served for 22 years, I have felt how much Julia Gillard and her comrades detest the military. We were, and still and perhaps still are the only threat to her retaining power as she legislates and regulates away our democratic rights, imports voters by the boat load, removes our freedom of speech and cuts our defence spending to levels where even our allies demand explanations.
Any thing this despicable, contemptible, vile, wretched, loathsome, disgusting reprobate can do to degrade and deny service personell their wives and families of their entitlements she will.
AND SHE HAS THE AUDACITY TO ATTEND SOLDIERS FUNERALS AND FEIGN . SORROW!
Thanks for bringing this problem to the forefront, Michael. Every service member, when the DFRDB was the scheme, contributed 5.5% of their PRE-TAX salary. That equates to, circa, 8% of post-tax salary. That money went into consolidated revenue, to be used as governments saw fit, not into a specific, interest earning fund. When the indexing fiasco became evident, governments, of both persuasions, suddenly declared that: 'It would cost far too much to properly index the payments." In fact, Mal Brough was approached for support, when he was the federal member for Longman, QLD and his response was, to the effect: "No way, that is far too expensive." People, we contributed to our 'retired pay', (not pension), and did not expect our contributions to be used for any other purpose than earning interest, and building the fund's liquid assets. It was not. It was 'frittered' away on whatever. Anyway, I must thank Gillard, Swan, et al, for my 73 cent, per fortnight, increase in September.
A message for ex-servicemen and women.
I was one of many who signed the open letter to government in early April. We will persist in the effort to ensure that this travesty is addressed. Just hang in there.
I have never served and have no connection whatsoever with the forces, you fought to uphold our rights and freedoms and now it is our turn to ensure your rights and economic freedoms.
Gillard offered to answer 3 questions on ?Our say? http://oursay.org/ based on the number of people supporting the question. The ex-service community won 1st place overwhelmingly. Gillard answered questions 2 and 3 at length allowing the questioners supplementary questions. She also answered several other questioners who were not in the winning 3. When David Jamison asked his question he was cut off rudely and early and not allowed a supplementary.
Hi Michael, i am so glad that this has made it to this site. The standto website is an opener for the public to understand the way this and past govt treat our widows and the men and women that have served and still serving. I think that you will see that gillard has indeed used Ralph as in my experience with labour and unions they all hated vietnam veterans.
This is the first time I have heard someone, besides myself, refer to the fiddling with the CPI such that we have the crazy situation we have today whereby the cost of living is sky-rocketing but the published CPI level is stable or going down. This represents the biggest scandal this country has ever experienced - it is a governmental LIE that allows them to steal from some of the most vulnerable people in Australia. Alas both sides of politics support the scam so they can pretend they are managing the economy well.
These are the "meatheads" Latham is talking about?
Ex and serving members of the military ought to be some of the best looked after members of society, they should certainly be better looked after than our ex politicians! It sickens me.
Thank you for airing this important matter.
The analysis is spot on and very revealing watching Julia Gillard spout her stuff.
It is shameful - this treatment of ex serving members of the Defence Force.
My spouse never complains or proactively seek changes - his loyalty and respect for his country works against him.
I know that his spouse and family have made sacrifices - emotionally and financially, but do not deserve to be treated in this manner by the government.
The superannuation schemes should be updated - FAIR GO... end of story
David Jamison proves yet again that the population is not entirely made up of the fools our would-be political masters think. Fantastic to see a man so well-researched and who can present his arguments so clearly, and there are so many more like him out here. Simply brilliant!!!
This is an issue that BOTH flavours of government do not want to touch.
Much as I do not respect JG, the issue of fair indexation for DFRDB pensions has been ignored by Rudd, Howard and earlier. Pete Criss has been tirelessly working on this for many years, and many of us ex-ADF are more than happy for him to take our fight to the government.
Although Pete is an ex-pilot (won't hold that against him!) he is articulate, sensible man who always presents a well-researched and objective case to our decision-makers. Cudos to Pete for this latest effort. May we win some day.
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