Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Again the member for Bruce is asking me to explain Labor’s policy. One of the things that is very clear is that, for those people that are receiving special rate benefits, there are two elements to that benefit. One relates to the injury compensation—that is for the pain and suffering of the service related condition for which they have been recognised and they are receiving compensation payments. This is where the people in part of the general rate table of injury compensation receive those payments, and they are indexed against CPI. That is consistent, that is principled, that is the manner that is used in civil awards for injuries of this kind and in other fields where people are being compensated for injury, pain and suffering, such as elements of workers compensation. The special rate pension reflects the fact that, as a result of those injuries, someone has been denied the opportunity to participate in the workforce. That is why there is a very special provision made for those people who, as a result of their service, are injured or impaired or have an illness that denies them the possibility to be engaged in the workforce.

What the Howard government has done is recognise that where you see a buoyant labour market with real growth in income—and it is an issue the Labor Party has never had to contend with—it is appropriate to reflect that real growth in income in a payment that reflects the fact that an injured, impaired or ill veteran cannot participate in the workforce and is being compensated for it. So it takes account of that very particular characteristic of the payment. It is sound; it is principled.

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