The Coalition successfully moved a motion in the Senate on Thursday 27 February condemning the Government for failing to provide fair indexation for Australias 57,000 military superannuants.
The motion said:
“That the Senate:
a) notes that the average annual DFRDB military superannuation pension in 2011-12 was $24,603;
b) condemns the Gillard Labor Government for Its ongoing and stubborn refusal to grant 57,000 Australian military superannuants and their families a fair go;
c) denounces the Labor Party for misleading veterans before the 2007 election into believing that Labor would actually deliver fair indexation, a point highlighted by Senator Lundy and Minister Kelly in their letter to former finance minister Tanner of 14 September 2009; and
d) criticises the Government for its ongoing failure to schedule a time for the Senate to consider the Veterans Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 and thus denying the Senate the opportunity to debate and vote on the Coalitions amendments to provide fair indexation for these men and women who have served their nation.”
The motion, presented by the Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs, Senator Michael Ronaldson, was surprisingly supported by the Greens. Note that the motion is not legislation and will not directly lead to any increase in superannuation retirement pay but it is a vote of confidence for fair indexation and a censure of the Government
We expect that this motion is followed by real action from the Government on Fair Indexation with both The Veterans Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 (with the proposed Coalitions amendments) and the Bob Katter Private Members Bill – The Fair Indexation of Military Superannuation Bill 2012 being hastened.
The Coalitions media release is here