THE DFWA MONTHLY UPDATE
 

	PO Box 4166, KINGSTON ACT 2604 Telephone:   02 6265 9530    Facsimile:  02 6265 9776 Web page:  http//www.rdfwa.org.au  Patron:  His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (Retd) Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia	ISSUE 222   September 2007
The Update is a monthly E-Letter (except for January) containing items which are of interest to the Service and ex-Service community.  It is distributed to politicians, media outlets, senior Service officers and DFWA branches.  Branches are encouraged to distribute Update further to Association members and other interested people or organisations.  Update is also posted on the DFWA website.

Veterans should not pay co-payment to doctors. The Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs says that, under the new statutory registration of DVA’s health care scheme, there should be no more chance of veterans being charged a co-payment by their health care providers than under the previous contract system but, he says, “I would also request that if there are instances where veterans are being asked to pay a co-payment, that you [ie DFWA] reinforce that there is no need for this, and that DVA be advised.” Copies of the DVA letter have been provided to all DFWA Branches. If any veterans are asked to pay a co-payment, would they please advise either DVA or their State DFWA Branch?

Study to examine the health of children of Vietnam veterans Minister Billson has announced that the Government will fund research into the impact of war service on the health and welfare of the families of Vietnam veterans. Accepting that this will be a complex study, which needs to isolate issues which can only be attributed to Vietnam service, the Association is still concerned that the last of the studies will not be completed until 2016, by which time many of the “children” will be 40 or over.

 DFWA has issued a press statement, available at www.rdfwa.org.au/new_information.htm which concludes: “DFWA hopes that the Government will look at undertaking similar in-depth family surveys and research to accompany every overseas defence deployment. That might permit more expeditious responses by Governments to all the consequences for service personnel and their families of national foreign policy decisions.”

Effects of Asset Test Changes Minister Billson issued a statement on 3 September drawing attention to the effects of changes to the assets tests associated with Simpler Super (now called Better Super). The changes should assist more veterans and widows to become eligible for benefits but it is necessary to claim the additional benefits before they can be provided by DVA. The changes come into effect on 20 September 2007 but, to be eligible for benefits from that date, claims must be lodged by 20 December 2007. To get more information or assistance with lodging a claim, visit www.dva.gov.au or call 133 254 or 1800 555 254

Nature of Service Review For some years Defence has been conducting a review of the “Nature of Service”, ie, warlike, non-warlike, hazardous, peacekeeping, etc, and briefing ESOs on its progress. The intention is to make a submission to Cabinet for policy direction. Many readers will be aware of the incremental degradation of the nation’s originally deliberately generous treatment of its WW1 & 2 ex-service personnel. The current Defence review is an attempt to codify treatment of the various kinds of service now undertaken by ADF personnel but DFWA is concerned that it may simply add another layer of complexity and legal argument to their treatment.

Asbestos and the military In the same line of logic, in early September the Association was approached by journalists seeking a response to a move by Defence to extend its current exemptions from OH&S restrictions on the use of asbestos in ships, aircraft and equipment. The National President commented that every effort needs to be made to remove this dangerous substance. The Association’s view is that Defence personnel are expected to go in harm’s way in the national interest, but having asbestos in their working environment is a significant additional level of risk not suffered by civilians. If it really is in the national interest that asbestos absolutely has to be left in their working environment and they suffer harm accordingly, then their subsequent treatment by the Government of the day should be both generous and expeditious. For example, the personnel should not be required to go through prolonged bureaucratic and legal processes.

The matter also raises interesting issues with respect to pay. It is simply not reasonable to pay all ADF personnel a small loading to compensate for such dangers when only a very small minority are likely to suffer but, if they do, their individual suffering will be excruciating and their lives will be shortened because of what might be seen to be the administrative convenience of the Government in not removing all asbestos.

Taxation of MSBS lump sums Despite advice in April that only serving DFRDB members are affected by a “proportioning rule” for the tax applied to lump sums that was introduced by Simpler Super, it became clear that the tax paid by MSBS members who retired after 1 July 2007 was also affected. There was no response from the Government to several representations. On 4 September the ALP announced that, if elected, it would make changes to remedy the situation. The Association welcomed that announcement with a statement – go to www.rdfwa.org.au/new_information.htm Later that day the Assistant Treasurer released a statement which claimed that such concerns were “scaremongering” but, nevertheless, the regulations would be amended to “clarify” the matter.

The Association remains concerned about those MSBS members who retired after 1 July 2007 and have already paid the additional tax.

Indexation of the pensions of disabled veterans and war widows The Association has welcomed a series of ALP announcements on the indexation of disabled veterans’ and war widows’ pensions. In an 11 September press statement available at www.rdfwa.org.au/new_information.htm , the National President pointed out the broader implications, saying “The ALP’s decisions highlight the increasing discontinuity between the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the true cost of living. They demonstrate the need for the Government to adopt the same indexation measure for all military pensions as it uses to index social welfare pensions – the higher of CPI or a wage-based index like MTAWE.”

 Later that day the Prime Minister announced changes to benefits for disabled veterans, including changes to the indexation of their pensions, although any announcement on war widows’ issues was deferred. The National President congratulated the TPI’s organization involved and issued a further media statement, also available on our website, pointing out that both major parties have now recognized that CPI indexation alone is inadequate to maintain the relative value of pensions. He called on them to extend that principle to retirement and all other military pensions.

RAAF Deseal-Reseal Program Although there appears to have been no formal press statement, the Association has been advised that, at a meeting on 9 September at RAAF AMBERLEY which was also attended by Minister Billson, the Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, promised ALP support for a parliamentary inquiry to try to shed some light on exactly what happened.

 Meetings with politicians and staff There have been a series of meeting with politicians of all persuasions, mainly with regard to the indexation of pensions. At this stage, each side refuses to make the first move to rectify the problems with retirement pensions, although the changes for disabled veterans’ pensions imply recognition that there is a serious problem and discussions within the Joint Party Room seem to indicate that Government backbenchers are very conscious of the issue.

 Association members are encouraged to write to the Prime Minister and other politicians along the lines of the draft letter available at www.rdfwa.org.au/PMletter.doc , using politicians’ addresses which can be obtained from www.aph.gov.au/whoswho/index.htm , to show them that we are very serious about this issue.

Reversionary Spouse Benefits The Superannuation Legislation Amendment Bill 2007, which reduces the re-marriage requirement from 5 to 3 years, was debated in the House on 13 September, but no attempt was made to make write into the legislation a changed commencement date. Thus we still do not know whether the Government has accepted the Senate Finance and Administration Committee’s recommendation to amend the Bill to make the provisions retrospective to the 2006 Budget announcement, or whether negotiations are underway between that Parties to make the commencement date the same as for the public service schemes, ie 1 July 2003. The Bill now faces a very uncertain future because it still has to pass through the Senate and, if any amendments are made, go back to the House before the election is called.

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