Kimberley Kitching (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 5 August 2021:

The TPI payment (Special Rate of Disability Pension), with particular reference to:

(a) the purpose, adequacy, structure and indexation arrangements of the TPI pension;

(b) the case made, and analysis provided, by the TPI Federation, including the extent to which the TPI pension value has changed over time and the support available to TPI veterans;

(c) all relevant existing information and previous reviews in relation to the TPI pension, including the recommendations of the Tune review;

(d) recommendations on any potential changes to the payment and any other issues;

(e) advice on costs associated with any recommendations; and

(f) any related issues.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 24 June 2021:

The accuracy of information provided to Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (DFRDB) members, including:

(a) the accuracy of information provided to DFRDB members about the effects of commutation on future retirement pay entitlement, the consequences of this, and what remedial action (if any) could be taken;

(b) whether retirement payments were indexed as required by legislation and, if not, what remedial action (if any) could be taken;

(c) policy and legislative issues, including provisions for:

(i) use of certain life expectancy tables,

(ii) permanency of reductions to commuted pensions, and

(iii) indexation arrangements; and

(d) recommendations on any potential changes to administrative arrangements, policy or legislation;

(e) advice on costs associated with any recommendations;

(f) all relevant existing information and previous reviews in relation to DFRDB, including the findings of the Ombudsman's investigation;

(g) the level of understanding among DFRDB members about how the legislation works, and ways to improve this; and

(h) any related issues.

Question agreed to.