Army 1981 - 1990. Nine years paying into DFRDB and at the end they just gave me my money back, no interest. Wonder what I would have got after nine years in parliment.
I think that we are on the right track with the excellent submission to the Treasurer but we need more support for members and ex members of the Defence Forces.
MPs to me are glib, insincere, greedy wasters of time and public money. I joined the Navy to do a job, not get one, and went to war as part of it. MPs forget thay THEY are public servants, OUR servants and were elected to serve us. Ref super, what a joke..... however not for them.
The current recruitment and retention rate for members within the Military is severley affecting our Defence capability. DFRDB was the one main factor that encouraged members to remain in the services and make a career out of defending our great country. With that opportunity taken away from current members, I've frequently seen the MSBS Goal posts move to the benefit of the Government and not the individual. Now this government are targeting DFRDB and the pension I've been counting on after 26 years of serving my country. What disheartens me the most is that I actually voted for them to run our great nation and look after us as we've done for them. To all you Vets and Ex-Military members out there I appologise and ensure you it won't happen again. I know where my vote will go at the next election. This is an absoloute disgrace.
the governments position is a piece of cynicism not often seen even from such masters as Paul Keating.Ex service men and women are not seeking a special privelege or perk but simply equity, the application of that principle of a "fair go" much espoused by politicians when they are chasing votes
the governments position is a piece of cynicism not often seen even from such masters as Paul Keating.Ex service men and women are not seeking a special privelege or perk but simply equity, the application of that principle of a "fair go" much espoused by politicians when they are chasing votes
I often wonder if it was worth my service(RAAF 16 years) to protect the people in power no matter what party. No one else seems to care. Look at David Hicks.
Another example of the contempt that this government holds for ex service men and women. They look after and secure the remuneration of politicians whilst as the same time intend to reduce still further the benefits of ex servicemen. I'm filled with disgust but not surprise. RAAF 1959 to 1979.
The lack of support goes on and will continue no matter what goernment is in untill we stop being silent stop playing into their hands by being quite or not bothering!!!
Member of the RAAF from 62 to 86, which included Vietnam, quite a period in relation to the pension received by a politician for a small amount of time. I contributed to the scheme, it should count as such.
I fully support this petition. If someone spends 20 or more years to serving their country they should be entitled to a Military Pension AT LEAST. If the Government wants to save some money by cutting back on someones pension, why don't they cut back on their own.
I fully support this petition. After 35 years of paying into the scheme DFRDB nowprovides me with less than the minimum wage. Anything less would be criminal.
I support the petition in total.Has the goverment ever paid back to us the so called loan that they borrowed from us to pay for the ORD RIVER SCHEME and a few other developments in Sydney
I intend to make my vote count. We must unite to get some action otherwise we will be forgotten after all our effors in defending our country. Fully support this petition.
How about a pension scheme that matches the pensions that Politicians give themselves. Any person who spends the biggest part of their life in the
Defence Force should be entitled to a Military Pension as well as the Age Pension. After all everyone who works all his/her life in Australia is eligible for an Age Pension (subject to certain income provisions) and they do not have to contribute anything other than their annual taxes. Whereas Servicemen also pay taxes and are forced to contribute a percentage of their pay towards a pension scheme that effectively denies them the Age Pension. In other words Defence Force Personnel are disadvantaged by having to contribute to a Government scheme that effectively denies them a return for their compulsory payments.
Its about time Howard and his cronies woke up to themselves and did the right thing by all Veterans especially this Fund, it means a lot to all the people it helps.
20 years RAN and forced to pay into the DFRDB scheme for very little return just more TAX. Joined the PSS for 12years and resigned with $100,000 lump sum after tax
Served for 23 years, would do it again for the country. Took the incoming then but getting a little sick of still taking them. Howard and Costello, give us what is rightfully ours. I can and do still vote
It was a complusory scheme, we had to join, give our money to them, and they are supposed to look after us after we get out, well they had the use of our money for a long time, and it appears they want to keep more of it now!
I spent more than 20 years in the Permanenty Air Force and performed two operational tours. I regard this intended discrimination against ex-Servicemen as completely unconscionable.
I was a member of the RAAF from Jan64 to Oct85 and am in receipt of a DFRDB Pension the amount of which was reduced to allow for Commutation and my retiring prior to my full pension retirement age. I strongly support this submission and urge the Government to redress the inequities outlined in the submission if not by full retrospective adjustment then at at least wef 1jul07. [Comment for the Petition Owner: This petition would be significantly improved by the inclusion of a list of specific recommendations as subparas to para 34. This will leave no doubt what we want as a solution and will also provide a stronger base for further lobbying in the future should it be ignored or only partialy accepted.
