Lead veteran’s organisation the Alliance of Defence Service Organisations (ADSO) has written to the Government and Opposition , and to all political parties and key independent MP’s seeking a ‘yes or no’ answer on what action they will take in Government on 22 issues of vital concern to veterans and their families.
Amidst a national cost of living crisis, the first group of question asks for three independent judicial reviews, one into a fairer and adequate military superannuation system, a second into an improved veterans and families compensation and rehabilitation system and finally, an inquiry into an extension of health and pension entitlements to veterans who so served on three long standing forms of dangerous operational service, and the families of those who died or were seriously injured, by recognising these deployments as ‘qualifying service’.
A second line of questions seek reform of the military justice system, seek a ‘put up or wind up’ date of the $300m Office of the Special Prosecutor which is looking without much success into unsubstantiated Afghanistan war crime allegations, and a commitment to withdraw our nation from the International Criminal Court and the 2002 Rome Statute so that our ANZACs are governed by Australian law without qualification!
In a third raft of questions, veterans seek a review of the broken Honors and Awards system which is leaving some battlefield heroes unrecognised while removing medals for distinguished service from courageous leaders earned in battle, as a form of group punishment without due process. The final questions deal with improved and independent veterans governance and better stakeholder engagement.
Much has been achieved in recent years to reduce the backlog of veteran’s claims, to support the Department of Veterans Affairs, on law reform and to deal with suicide prevention and physical and mental health of veterans and their families. But glaring challenges remain. ADSO awaits a response from each of the political parties.
Hon Martin Hamilton-Smith
ADSO Media Spokesperson
[email protected]
0408 854 707
7th April 2025