GOVERNMENT THREAT TO VETERANS’ ENTITLEMENTS
The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP said the imminent passage of legislation to terminate the Partner Service Pension entitlement for partners after 12 months separation, signals an ominous shift from entitlement to welfare.
The legislation, about to be introduced into the Senate will terminate the Partner Service Pension entitlement for partners after 12 months separation where there is no divorce and no new ‘marriage-like’ relationship for either the partner or veteran. Coalition and major ex-service organisations oppose the legislation.
“The introduction of this rule will hurt the veteran community and it will hurt the partners of veterans, all of them women, most of them aged 50+ years old and it will hurt the veteran’ community who will see an erosion of their entitlements, entitlements they receive as a result of their sacrifice and service to their country,” Mr Ruddock said.
The Labor government is moving in the wrong direction on veterans’ entitlements. “The excuse is that the measure will save money. If that is the reason which entitlement is the next to go?
“What we have here is a serious threat to veteran entitlements and when the legislation comes before the Senate it will be opposed by the Coalition” Philip Ruddock said.