Thread: a message for all serving and ex military members

Originally Posted by TwoUp

So, how did it go? Was this introduced to the house and what came of it?

Regards,
PeterW

Nothing heard, Bob

So I figured I should email Honourable Ewan Jones, and to my delight/shock I received a reply quite quickly. I am impressed by this, it gives a good feeling of faith and integrity in our system.

So thanks go to Ewan Jones. The return email is detailed below.


Peter,



The Bills were introduced in theHouse of Reps last week. They will be debated this week and passed to theSenate. It will be part of our Budget this year and it will mean fairindexation from 1 July this year as promised.



Kind regards



Ewen

I understand it is part of the Budget so will not get reviewed until May June.

Originally Posted by garrycol

I understand it is part of the Budget so will not get reviewed until May June.

Either this LNP member lied, or you don't understand. Curious to find out, Bob

My information is solely based on an interview I saw on TV with Abbot. I took it to be as part of the budget papers which is understandable as that is how the extra funds are provided - but may need to have follow up legislation - I don't know.

Garry

Message from standto.org Bob

This email contains graphics, so if you dont see them, view it in your browser.

ADSO UPDATE 1/2014 - ONWARD & UPWARD - 4 APRIL 2014

FAIR INDEXATION BILL - GOVERNMENT DELIVERS ON ITS PROMISE


The Government's FIB has been passed in the Senate on Thursday 27th March. This means that the implementation for those superannuants covered by this Bill will be effective from the 1 July 2014.
ADSO gratefully thanks the Coalition Government for implementing their 2010 pledge and congratulates all, especially the Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Sen Michael Ronaldson and Stuart Robert for championing our cause. Their insistence on delivering that pledge has never wavered.
ADSO also thanks the Labor Opposition, the Greens and all parliamentarians who supported the Bill’s passage through Parliament. That support augers well for greater understanding of other outstanding veterans’ issues.
While ADSO is pleased with this success, it regards this as a first step achievement towards the same indexation fairness to be restored to maintain its purchasing power for those excluded from this Bill: namely, to DFRB/DFRDB superannuants under aged 55 years, and to all MSBS members.
The Hansard House reading and the Hansard Senate reading are worth reading particularly Senator Ronaldson’s speech.
The Government’s media release is here and the DVA Ministers letter to David Jamison is here.
This milestone recognises a number of facts:

• Parliament’s recognition of the equity which should now be applied to the other military superannuation schemes.
• Parliament’s recognition of ADSO’s active voice for the defence community and its influence,
• ADSO’s determination to extend this success to all military superannuation schemes.

Our success was possible by YOUR participation, either as part of our Action Groups, Planning Teams, donors and supporters, both external to and internal to the ADF, in taking our issues directly to your local MP and Senators, the media, our own defence family, the Australian community and through your own social media (facebook, twitter, etc) network. THANK YOU. Please help us recruit more supporters to the Fair Go Campaign here

THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED

The 2013 election result, while giving the Coalition the numbers in the House, does not in the Senate where until 1 July 2014 the Labor/Green alliance will hold the balance of power. After 1 July it is possible that the PUP with the support of independent Senators will hold the balance. See the article Treading carefully in minefield
Practically, we need to recognise that the political environment has changed. We can expect the Government’s austerity measures to impact on their consideration of our issues that they believe are unaffordable and cannot be funded. This policy will present challenges to our submissions. This means we need to build good relationships with the Parliament, all political parties and MP/Senators particularly in the local electorates to convince them of our rights, the facts and merits of our issues.
FUNDING AXED TO WAR ORPHANS

22 March, 2014 - 12:40 PM

4BC Weekend Mornings: Chris Adams speaks to David Jamison, National President of the Defence Force Welfare Association. He asks how the Abbott government can axe a paltry $260 thousand from its budget that helps the children of those that gave their lives with education expenses.

Jamison says that the Federal Government is sending the wrong message to the ADF and their families and his Association is developing protocols for dealing with them. He says the nation needs to support and honour the efforts of those who give their lives for their country.
This will prove to be an unpopular decision.
Listen to the Interview here
In essence, the Government was removing an income support bonus of $211 a year which Labor had promised and funded from the mining tax. The Abbott Government’s election promise was to repeal the mining tax and they would not keep any Labor policies that depended on the income from it. Unfortunately, this included even the minor ones such as this income support bonus.
ADSO’s position, as stated to the DVA Minister, is that it was a bad decision targeting a vulnerable small number of children in the defence family for an inconsequential saving. It was unannounced and ADSO was not consulted before hand. We believed that the $260,000 to be saved could have been found within the federal budget without detriment to any other program or without adding to the overall debt.
At present the Government’s decision on the bonus remains in place but it has been rejected in the Senate.
ADSO – A REMINDER OF WHO WE ARE



ADSO is an Alliance of major Defence Service Organisations whose members include current and past serving ADF persons.
It was formed to protect and represent the Defence Family’s (past and current serving ADF members and their immediate families) interests by active engagement with the Parliament. The Defence Family’s community of interest size is about 3 million people.
Its objective is to protect the Defence Family’s interests and right the wrongs imposed on it by successive Australian governments.
It is issues based and for the Fair Go Campaign has focused on four major issues: military superannuation indexation, DVA disability pensions’ parity, the military compensation system (objective achieved with the previous Labor government’s review and its overwhelming acceptance of the findings) and ADF members and veterans’ health issues with a number of initiatives taken by the previous Labor government and ongoing work in this area.
ADSO is non-partisan and does not represent any political party. It does not support or oppose any political party.It does, however support or oppose policies that may help or hinder serving or former ADF members and their families.
ADSO engages directly with the Government and political parties to achieve its mission: "To obtain parliamentary approval for ADSO objectives." By necessity it operates within the political arena on an issues basis.
ISSUES – OUR LOG OF CLAIMS

ADSO’s Fair Go Campaign’s objective is to protect the interests of the Defence Family and restore their legal entitlements that have been denied or removed by successive Governments.

Our major issues list is:

1. Restoration of Fair indexation to DFRB/DFRDB under aged 55 and all MSBS members because of the inequity from excluding them from the Government’s legislation (Fair Indexation Bill 2014) that restores its purchasing power to DFRB/DFRDB superannuates from 1 July 2014.
2. Restoration of DVA Disability Pension indexation to parity as legislated by the Coalition Government in 2007 and removed by the Labor Government in 2009. Veterans’ Disability Pension is compensation for injury and foregone ability to earn wages/salary. It is not a welfare payment.
3. Abolition of MSBS maximum benefit limits.
4. Increased support for Veterans’ health care.

This does not represent all ADSO policy objectives but is a reflection on our concentration of effort and concurrent activity.
We remain disappointed that the Coalition has avoided any firm commitment to restore the DVA disability pension indexation to that which they, the Howard Government in 2007 legislated but was withdrawn under the Labor Government’s term in 2009.
Why won’t the Coalition Government restore what was their 2007 correct decision?
There are 109,000 disabled veterans who are damaged physically and/or mentally from their military service. Of those 109,000, 29,000 have TPI/Special rate status that limits the hours they can work and hence capacity to maintain their standard of living: their loss since the 2009 removal of indexation parity is $3,300 p.a. and increasing each year
See a summary of the issue and the pre-election positions of the ALP and LNP here.
ON-GOING DIALOGUE WITH THE POLITICAL PARTIES
Our strategy to build good relationships with mutual respect and understanding with all political parties and Parliamentarians is in place with good working relationships with relevant Government Ministers, their Opposition counterparts, including the Greens and minor party individuals. We appreciate their commitment to on-going informal dialogue on matters effecting veterans.
While the Government has not pledged an early ‘fix’ of our priority issues, their pledge is to keep them under review, and to discuss them at regular informal meetings with us.
Recognition of this relationship can be seen in the Fair Indexation Bill’s reading in both the House and the Senate where specific mention was made of ADSO leaders; David Jamison, Alf Jaugietis, Bob Ihlein and supporters Peter Criss and Peter Thornton, who had helped those MPs/Senators to understand the veterans’ issues.
2014 DEFENCE FORCE REMUNERATIION TRIBUNAL (DFRT) TRIBUNAL CONSIDERATIONS & WORKPLACE REMUNERATION ARRANGEMENT (WRA)
In 2014 DFWA representing ADSO will consider a number of matters that will affect remuneration payable to ADF members. These include Special Forces and Special Operations Allowance, Field Allowance and most importantly later in the year, the umbrella for the ADF for the three years following the expiration of the current WRA in November 2014.
As an independent intervener in the DFRT process, DFWA will lobby hard on behalf of ADF members and will seek advice from them on their views as the case progresses.
WILL YOU HELP DEFEND THE DEFENDERS?

With over 250,000 people directly affected and who will benefit from the campaign’s success, we expect that they and their families would want to help us to help them.
If you’re a Defence Family member and none of the injustices directly affects you or your family, then please get involved to help care for the Family.
If you’re not a Defence Family member then please help those who are willingly to give their lives in service for our nation’s defence.
Here’s what you can do:

• If you are have already joined us as a SUBSCRIBER to receive our Updates, then increase your involvement by VOLUNTEERING to join your local electorate Action Team: check out the commitment HERE and bring your friends and relatives to join.
• If you have not yet joined us, then VOLUNTEER for your local electorate Action Group HERE or SUBSCRIBE to receive our Updates HERE and/or,
• DONATE to fund the Campaign. We need money to pay for our promotions, professional advice and administrative costs. Choose the amount and frequency of your donation HERE and/or,
• Become an ADVISOR. Help guide us with your experience and expertise in a particular Campaign activity, such as marketing/ public relations, media, investigative journalism, superannuation, legal, health, information services and technology, accounting, financial planning, sales etc.

Get your whole family involved, especially your spouse/partner. Remember that for military superannuants your widow receives a portion, five/eights of your superannuation payment, for her life time: a paltry amount that is an issue on our agenda.
Social Media

Social media, in particular youtube and the ADSO facebook page have become an increasingly important and effective way to report our campaign and for people to engage us with their comments. Share our postings with your network.

THANK YOU AUSTRALIA FOR YOUR SUPPORT

From The Fair Go Team our thanks to all our Action Team warriors and supporters.
Campaign Directors: Ted Chitham, Alf Jaugietis
Campaign National Spokesperson: David Jamison





Stand To is the public voice for ADSOs "Fair Go!" Campaign. Its purpose is to make known to all Australians the major issues that adversely affect their Defence Familys well being.
Campaign Directors: Ted Chitham , Alf Jaugietis
Campaign National Spokesperson: David Jamison
Stay current with the Campaign at www.standto.org

That is great news - now we need to get the Govt to treat the mil super payout like other super to be tax free if you are over the age where you are are titled to take your super without having to pay tax on it - just like everyone else's super.

Garry

ADSO update, Bob

This email contains graphics, so if you dont see them, view it in your browser.

ADSO UPDATE 3/2014 - There's Movement on the Station - 20 May 2014

ADSO FLYER - COMPARE THE PAIR

There can be no denying the success of our Flyer Compare the Pair, when in seven days over 100,000 hits were recorded on three facebook sites (ADSO, DFWA and RARC) and over 1,300 people shared the flyer on their facebooks. Thank you to all who contributed to this result.
This is evidence that our ADSO voice is being heard and relayed widely via social media. Of particular interest is the increasing number of current serving ADF men and women who commented on the flyer and registered their support to ADSO. It seems that ADF members have awoken to the inequities of their MSBS.
BUDGET 2014/15 - ADSO'S IMPACT ANALYSIS

Our summary has been compiled from the Budget Papers, DVA's Budget Presentation, and analyses from industry, commercial and community organisations' reports with the emphasis on those decisions that affect defence families. The full budget can be viewed here
Anyone requiring specific details related to their personal circumstances should contact their financial adviser, tax accountant, DVA Case Officer or the nearest DVA Office.
ADSO will continue to engage with the Government and the Parliament on those matters that require clarification and involve further consideration and negotiation.
NEW MILITARY SUPERANNUATION SCHEME ARRANGEMENTS - ADF SUPER

From the Budget we were surprised to find the news that the Government will introduce a new modern military superannuation arrangement for people joining the Australian Defence Force (ADF). We have conveyed our displeasure directly to the Government about its decision to introduce this new arrangement without consulting ADSO.
The new arrangements will allow ADF members to choose which superannuation fund they belong to and, for the first time, give those members the ability to transfer their accumulated benefits to a new fund if they leave the ADF.
As part of these changes, the Government will establish ADF Super (an Accumulation Fund) on 1 July 2016. ADF Super will apply to: those joining the ADF from 1 July 2016; and serving and returning members of the Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme (MSBS) who choose to join the new scheme.
Current members of the MSBS who are serving or who re-join the ADF from 1 July 2016 can choose to stay in that scheme, or to join ADF Super. There will be no compulsion to transfer to the new arrangements.
The current Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme will be closed to new members from 1 July 2016.
Under the new arrangements, the employer (Government) contribution rate will be 15.4 per cent, increasing to 18 per cent during periods of warlike service in recognition of the unique nature of military service.
There will be no requirement for ADF members to contribute to their superannuation under the new arrangements. This will provide greater flexibility for individuals in how they manage their finances at various stages of their working life.
The Government recognises that military service can be a dangerous undertaking and will ensure ADF members continue to receive statutory cover for death and invalidity. Importantly, benefits under the new arrangements for these members will be the same as what exists under the current scheme.
ADF Super will be established and managed by the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, which is currently the trustee for the major Commonwealth schemes, including the current and past military superannuation schemes.
The Government says it will work with ex-service organisations such as the RSL, Defence Force Welfare Association and Alliance of Defence Service Organisations to ensure the successful introduction of the new superannuation arrangements.
ADSO in its engagement with the Government will be seeking features of any military superannuation scheme that takes into account the Parliament's acceptance of the uniqueness of military service while at the same time continuing to press for the removal of the MSBS inequities still existing.
ADSO'S 2014 GOALS

See our priorities and goals here