ADSO Update 4/2014 – Action Plan on ADF Pay

10 Nov 2014

A Raw Deal on Remuneration…

If you have been following this matter on our The Adso website and Facebook (and/or DFWA’s website and Facebook) and national media in the last few days you will be aware of the adverse reaction to the DFRT’s decision from the veterans’ community, the Opposition, the PUP, certain Independent MPs and Senators, the Queensland Premier, certain media commentators and the Australian public. Social media comments show the extent of the angst.

Phase 1
In Phase 1 of our Action Plan, prior to the DFRT’s decision, ADSO took the lead position publicly by giving its voice actively to protect the ADF servicemen and service women’s pay and entitlements.

Phase 2
In Phase 2, post the DFRT’s decision, ADSO will continue its fight to influence the Government and Parliament to provide a better pay increase that maintains its purchasing power and to monitor events to make sure that any costs imposed on ADF members by way of such increases as Defence Housing, etc should not exceed any salary increases over the next three years.

Our Plan is to keep the issue alive through direct actions by affiliated Ex-Service Organisations (ESOs):

1. Together with our State and Local Action Teams and supporters making personal contact with their State Senators and local Federal MPs

2. Encouraging all ESO members and the veteran family to contact their local Federal MP by a personal visit or telephone call or email, fax or letter to them asking for their position on the matter and if in writing to them, a reply: where they have a website and Facebook post a comment if possible. They can find their Federal MP’s contact details here

3. Encouraging all ESO members to contact the PM, Minister for Defence, Assistant Minister for Defence and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. They can find their contact details by following the link given in sub-para 2.

Concurrently, the ADSO Lobby Team will be active in Canberra and we will continue our social media campaign, seizing every opportunity to achieve ADSO’s objectives.

A Letter to a Member of Parliament

Here is a letter from a supporter to his local MP. It is reflective of the many comments already seen on Facebook:
 

“Good morning (Local MP’s name)
Re: The meagre pay rise awarded to our defence personnel humiliates the nation
I, and most of my friends, consider the government’s recent pay rise awarded to our defence personnel a very miserable and humiliating act.

As ‘we the people’ will almost never be placed in harm’s way, to treat our courageous men and women in such abject disregard, by their elected officials, is a disgrace to the nation.

This seems yet another inglorious error by an over-zealous urge to cut ‘guvmint’ expenditure where it is most ill-advised to do so. Notwithstanding the professionalism of our esteemed warriors, to be serving under another government that seems to have little respect for their arduous toils to defend our daily liberties – which, I suspect, most of us take for granted – this latest insult must have some demoralizing effect, to say the least.

As my representative in the government that has made such an insulting decision, please take urgent action to remedy this matter; heaven will not help you at the next election unless you do something about this, now.”

It is personal letters like this that are effective. We do not want to provide our supporters with a template letter but ask that they compose their own personal ones.

Additional Actions
An ADSO Update will be sent to our whole network encouraging these actions. Other activities are being planned. Any action suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

DFWA Gaining Traction
Through the sterling work of DFWA’s David Jamison, Alf Jaugietis and Les Bienkiewicz, DFWA/ADSO has been recognised by the media as the go to representative group on this and other related issues.