Page 5049 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 26 October 2010
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probably most of us here disagree with the conflict; I certainly do—I actually feel for those soldiers and I respect them. In conclusion, I count myself very lucky to have worn the same uniform as they are wearing, and I count myself very, very lucky to walk in their shadow.
MS BRESNAN (Brindabella) (3.57): I would like to thank Mr Coe for bringing forward this matter of public importance today. It is an issue of importance for all the community and I acknowledge the words Mr Coe and the other speakers have used regarding the importance of providing support to our returned service men and women. I believe it is a duty, not just a need, that we have as a community. Again, coining the words of other speakers, I would like to acknowledge the work of the range of organisations that support service men and women and their families, including organisations such as Legacy and RSL.
Veterans of Australia’s armed forces deserve recognition for their contributions to the community, and one of the most important ways in which we can show our gratitude for this service and acknowledge the contribution to the community is by providing adequate income support. As Mr Hanson has already discussed, because of the way in which the federal government indexes their pensions, veterans are being left behind in the spending power of their retirement income. Because the pensions do not keep pace with inflation, they may experience real economic hardship. And this does not reflect the debt we owe to those who make a significant contribution through our armed forces. Indexing superannuation to the CPI does not adequately maintain the real buying power of Defence Force pensions. A more appropriate measure would be to link pensions to a measurement of wages.
It has also been suggested that an independent tribunal could be appointed to determine increases in all welfare allowances. Such a tribunal already exists to decide the salaries of federal politicians. So we do need to ask why 1.2 million pensioners, including veterans, do not receive the same treatment. The Greens senators have been lobbying on this issue for several years now, not just through the last election campaign where they did bring that up as an issue. It is something they have been campaigning for for several years now. The ACT Greens very much support them in their efforts on this issue.
As has already been discussed, obviously ex-service men and women have significant needs regarding their health and disability services. The requirements of those veterans who served from the mid to the late 1900s are well documented, as there has been some time now in terms of looking at the symptoms of illness and disability as they become evident. But many of us also have seen the effects of those wars of the 20th century on our grandparents and parents as they dealt with the trauma and sometimes locked away that trauma that came with that and started new lives.
However, years later trauma, particularly trauma which has not been treated or acknowledged, can cause great conflicts in families as people try to find a way to deal with the delayed and ongoing pain. The impact of this trauma can sometimes be felt for generations. I think most of us would have a relative or a family member or know someone who has served in a conflict, and I think we do see the impact it has on people’s lives.
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