Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter today backed Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie’s calls for the Federal Government to urgently review its decision to increase the wages of defence force personnel by only 1.5 per cent per year for the next 3 years.

Mr Katter is urging the government to put aside politics and acknowledge how shameful and embarrassing the proposed defence force wage deal is.

“We politicians give ourselves a much better deal than we give men who risk their lives for their country.

“Jacqui Lambie standing up on this issue has pulled the pin on a live hand grenade. I think that everyone concerned should realise the political implications of what is taking place here,” Mr Katter said.

In 2012 Mr Katter introduced legislation to look after soldiers and ensure they received the same deal as other Australians. The Fair Indexations of Military Superannuation Entitlements Bill 2012 required military veterans to have their superannuation pensions indexed in the same way as other Australian Government income support pensions.