Defence Force Welfare Association – Election Update June 2016
Folks,
With barely two weeks out from the looming election most in the serving and the veterans communities began to seriously wonder whether they would ever see the light of day of any substantive policies concerning them. Political parties of all persuasions seemed to have forgotten not only those who are currently serving their country but who once did so with honour. Seemingly particularly forgotten were the disabled veterans who have sought redress to their plummeting income levels which have increasingly robbed them of their ability to adequately provide for their families and live with some dignity. Basic fairness alone should dictate that priority attention should be applied immediately, if not sooner, to restoring the purchasing power of their pensions.
But disappointingly not one whisper from either the Government or the Opposition in doing so. And that is notwithstanding a series of recent fine words from both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader during speeches they gave where each in their own way unequivocally acknowledged that the nation as a whole must do better than in the past to support and care for the men and women of the Australian Defence Force who had been prepared to pay the ultimate price in service to their country
If only belatedly, some veterans policies did emerge and to its credit, the Labor Opposition started the ball rolling. Thereafter, a small avalanche of veterans policies of varying quality popped to the surface from the Greens, the Jacqui Lambie Network, the Veterans Party and the Australian Liberty Alliance. They all indicated that each substantially, in whole or in greater part, supported the policy objectives collectively articulated by DFWA and the other Alliance of Defence Service Organisation members. A thanks and congratulations is extended to each Party for that valued support.
From the policies that did emerge, it allowed an analysis of the comparative degree to which each Party intends to address the key issues of most concern to the serving and veterans’ communities. The attached Election Update provides those results.
Best Regards
Alf Jaugietis
Executive Director
Defence Force Welfare Association
Phone 02 6265 9530 | Mobile 0438 282 284
PO Box 4166 KINGSTON ACT 2604