Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was a scientist in a past life and I am sceptical on the science. However, my speech is about something else. In my time as a member I have been in regular contact with members of the Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex-Service Men and Women West Australian Branch, known affectionately as TPIs. TPI members in my electorate have studiously and consistently advocated for the fair indexation of their pensions. On 18 November 2010 the coalition introduced into the Senate the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2010. This coalition bill is still before the Senate. It has gone to committee but has not yet been debated or voted on. I call on Labor, Greens and Independent members of this House to support this bill.

The bill affirms the coalition's commitment to introduce a fair, equitable and fiscally responsible military superannuation scheme. Currently, DFRDB and DFRB members have their superannuation indexed only in line with movements in the CPI. This bill provides for these superannuants, aged 55 and over, to have their superannuation pensions indexed in the same way as Australian government income support pensions. Twice yearly, pensions will be indexed at the higher of the CPI, male total average weekly earnings or the pensioner beneficiary living cost index. This bill provides for superannuants aged 55 and over to have their superannuation pensions indexed in the same way as Australian government income support pensions. Twice yearly, pensions will be indexed to the higher of the consumer price index, male total average weekly earnings or the pensioner and beneficiary living cost index. This will provide increases for over 56,000 retired Australian Defence Force members of the now closed DFRDB and DFRB schemes, with a superannuation pension indexation which better reflects changes in the costs of living. These changes have long been sought by veterans' organisations, including the TPI ex-serviceman in my electorate of Tangney.

The change proposed by this bill would bring indexation arrangements for these superannuants into line with the aged pension. These are honourable men and women who served Australia, and the coalition believes this fair indexation is the right thing to do given the unique nature and risks of military service. Australia's service personnel, past and present, after giving so much to their nation, deserve to live their lives with financial security. Widows of superannuants of this scheme will also benefit from the announced changes.

Again I call on the on the Independent members and senators, who have been vocal supporters of such measures in the past, to support this bill. The coalition has introduced this bill because Labor's commitment at the 2007 election to fix military superannuation has become another one of its many broken promises. The Gillard Labor government has promised much to those in the veteran community but, as I have heard consistently from local TPI representatives, has repeatedly failed to deliver, due to its self-interest and poll driven policy paralysis. Unlike Labor, the coalition has consulted widely and listened carefully to the views put forward by veterans, ex-service people, ex-service organisations and current ADF personnel. Labor has failed veterans when it comes to military superannuation reform. Labor has failed to respond to the review into military superannuation arrangements, whose report it has had for over three years.

Ex-serviceman and women deserve more than their empty rhetoric. After spending so much money on pink batts, green loans and the failed BER school halls program, this Labor-Greens government are probably unable and unwilling to find the funds necessary to meet their commitment to veterans and their military superannuation reform requests to 'prevent further erosion due to unfair indexation.' I do not believe the government had any military superannuation policy at the last election. My understanding is that they still do not have any policy on military superannuation reform. There has been more energy and paper spent by the government in criticising this coalition plan than in coming up with anything of their own. I call on the government to listen to veterans in my local community and around Australia, tackle the pressing issues in the veteran community, end the spin, and support the coalition's bill.