DFRDB UPDATE NOV 16 INTRODUCTION While there may not appear to have been much action, our work on the injustices in the DFRDB scheme has been continuing. During the Federal election campaign we did get an audience with the then Assistant Minister for Defence, the Honorable Michael McCormack MP. While the Minister gave us a good hearing, he gave us no commitment for any action, citing the fact that the Government was in caretaker mode and that there was no guarantee that he would be re-elected and returned to his Ministerial position or that the Government would be returned to power. DFRDB PETITIONS TO PARLIAMENT The response to and support for the Petitions to Parliament has been disappointing to say the least. It is totally perplexing, that so few of the more than 50,000 recipient DFRDB members and/or their spouses who are being denied their rightful entitlements on a monumental scale, are showing any interest in getting something done about it. We only have 1700 signatures and that does not give us the firepower that we wanted to achieve but it is not too late I can still accept signatures for another month. If you need the forms please let me know and I can accept completed forms via email. One suggested reason is a fear of losing DVA benefits if DFRDB benefits are increased. DVA benefit recipients should be aware that a $1 increase in DFRDB benefits does not result in a $1 reduction in DVA benefits. The reduction is only 50 cents in the dollar. Also worth considering is that, unlike DFRDB, if indexation of the DVA service pension follows that of the age pension, the service pension will be reduced in value. A paper is in the final draft stage using REAL CASE samples that clearly show the over repayment of the Commutation advance once Life Expectancy has been achieved. In my case I have repaid $52000 more than my original commutation and we have much worse examples than that. ACTION PLAN We are now working on an approach to the Minister for Veterans Affairs, the Honorable Dan Tehan MP, who is now responsible for DFRDB by virtue of his other hat as Minister for Defence Personnel. We will seek the help of our local Member to gain an audience and present in
DFRDB UPDATE NOV 16 INTRODUCTION While there may not appear to have been much action, our work on the injustices in the DFRDB scheme has been continuing. During the Federal election campaign we did get an audience with the then Assistant Minister for Defence, the Honorable Michael McCormack MP. While the Minister gave us a good hearing, he gave us no commitment for any action, citing the fact that the Government was in caretaker mode and that there was no guarantee that he would be re-elected and returned to his Ministerial position or that the Government would be returned to power. DFRDB PETITIONS TO PARLIAMENT The response to and support for the Petitions to Parliament has been disappointing to say the least. It is totally perplexing, that so few of the more than 50,000 recipient DFRDB members and/or their spouses who are being denied their rightful entitlements on a monumental scale, are showing any interest in getting something done about it. We only have 1700 signatures and that does not give us the firepower that we wanted to achieve but it is not too late I can still accept signatures for another month. If you need the forms please let me know and I can accept completed forms via email. One suggested reason is a fear of losing DVA benefits if DFRDB benefits are increased. DVA benefit recipients should be aware that a $1 increase in DFRDB benefits does not result in a $1 reduction in DVA benefits. The reduction is only 50 cents in the dollar. Also worth considering is that, unlike DFRDB, if indexation of the DVA service pension follows that of the age pension, the service pension will be reduced in value. A paper is in the final draft stage using REAL CASE samples that clearly show the over repayment of the Commutation advance once Life Expectancy has been achieved. In my case I have repaid $52000 more than my original commutation and we have much worse examples than that. ACTION PLAN We are now working on an approach to the Minister for Veterans Affairs, the Honorable Dan Tehan MP, who is now responsible for DFRDB by virtue of his other hat as Minister for Defence Personnel. We will seek the help of our local Member to gain an audience and present in
DFRDB%20UPDATE%20(Jim%20Hislop).docx