Media Release

KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has introduced legislation to stop defence veterans being used as a political point-scoring football by the major parties over the long-running issues of unfair pensions.

Mr Katter said it was hoped debate would begin next month, in the House of Representatives, on his private member’s bill.

It calls on the government to legislate the indexation of military pensions using the formula by which other Australian pensions are calculated, under the Social Security Act’s Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index .

The legislation also provides for the indexation method to begin immediately upon retirement – not at 55 years of age as proposed by the LNP.

“This measure follows our consultation with defence associations after the last sittings of Parliament when the LNP tried to halt legislation offering better entitlements for veterans, with their eleventh-hour delay to the laws until indexed military superannuation pensions were introduced,” said Mr Katter.

“People who have risked death to defend the things we believe in should get the best deal of all, not be used as pawns for a disgraceful display of major party political point-scoring.

“We remain optimistic of Parliamentary support for this bill and for the Opposition to remain true to their word to support fair indexation and to stop playing political games, so our veterans no longer suffer a second-rate deal.”