Mark Vaile MP Deputy Leader of the Natonal Party - Minister for Trade - Federal Member for Lyne

Coalition extends Veterans Recognition, Care & Compensation 19th October 2001

Federal Member for Lyne, Mark Vaile, says the Coalition's Veterans' Affairs policy, Supporting those who Served, will provide Hastings veterans and their widows with greater support thanks to additional funding.

Mr Vaile said the policy announcement demonstrates the Coalition Government's strong commitment to a very special group of Australians, Australia's veteran and war widow community.

"A third term Coalition Government will extend the Gold Card to Australian veterans with qualifying service aged over 70, index war widows income supplement payments, and conduct and independent review into the perceived anomalies over entitlement to benefits under the Veterans' Entitlements ACT (VEA)," Mr Vaile said.

"The Gold Card extension is an important commitment to those veterans who served in conflicts after World War II and recognises their exposure to unique hardships and deprivations of combat."

Indexation of the war widows income support supplement, which was frozen by Labor in 1986 at $124.90, will see more than 85,000 war widows benefit.

"The Coalition will index the income support supplement to increases in the male total average weekly earnings or the consumer price index, which ever is greater."

"This measure, together with the Coalition's decision in the last budget to restore the pension rights of war widows who had their pensions cancelled when they chose to remarry, will remove Labor's unfair treatment of war widows."

An independent review into the eligibility for veterans entitlements would address the concerns of some veterans groups who are currently denied veterans benefits.

"The Coalition Government is concerned that some groups of ex-servicemen and women may have a claim to entitlements under the VEA but are current denied access to these generous benefits (including service pension and Gold Card) because of perceived anomalies in the determination of qualifying service."

"These groups could include some WWII veterans who did not serve overseas, veterans of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force of Japan, participants of British atomic testing in Australia, and servicemen engaged in counter terrorist and special recovery training.

"The Coalition Government will conduct a high profile and independent review to consider anomalies within the eligibility criteria for veterans entitlements. This review will be conducted in close consultation with the ex-service community.

Mr Vaile said Supporting those who Served will ensure Australia's Repatriation system remains the most generous in the world.

