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Thursday, 22 May 2014 MINVA033

OPPOSITION SHOULD APOLOGISE TO VETERANS IMMEDIATELY

Labor continues to deliberately mislead veterans about the Federal Budget in an attempt to hide
their own lack of policies for veterans and their families.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs and the former
Minister for Veterans Affairs demonstrated just how little they know about the veterans portfolio.

Worse, their statement was riddled with a series of blatant untruths, errors and inaccurate
claims designed to spread fear amongst the veteran community.

Labor Claim #1: Labor claimed that veterans will cop new taxes like the GP Tax -
This is completely wrong. DVA Gold and White card holders are exempt from the
proposed $7 GP co-payment announced in the Budget for DVA funded treatment. DVA
White card holders will only pay a co-payment for those services they access under
Medicare arrangements, for conditions not covered by their DVA White card.
Labor Claim #2: Labor criticises a decision to pause indexation of fees paid to medical
providers yet they introduced the very same measure in their last budget. Their
inconsistency is gobsmacking.
Labor Claim #3: Labor introduced the Veterans Pharmaceutical Reimbursement
Scheme with the support of the Coalition. Now they criticise the fairness of the very
scheme they introduced! The Government has made clear that any additional out of
pocket expenses for pharmaceuticals will be reimbursed for any veteran eligible for the
Veterans Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Scheme the scheme Labor introduced.

The Abbott Government recognises the unique nature of military service and remains
committed to supporting veterans and their families through the Federal Budget. We are
determined to deliver the commitments we made before the election.

Contrary to Labors inaccurate claims:

The Abbott Government has honoured its commitment to index DFRB and DFRDB
military superannuation pensions by CPI, PBLCI and MTAWE from 1 July this year for
superannuants 55 and over. This is something Labor spent six years in government
opposing at every turn;

The Abbott Government has restored advocacy and welfare funding support for the
veteran community funding which was slashed without warning by Labor in 2011;

1
The Abbott Government is enhancing mental health services, expanding access to VVCS
for peacetime service and has established a new Prime Ministerial Advisory Council on
Veterans Mental Health;

Gold and White Card holders will continue to have their health costs met by the
Australian Government. DVA White card holders will only pay a co-payment for those
services they access under Medicare arrangements, for conditions not covered by their
DVA White card;

Veterans eligible to access the Veterans' Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Scheme will
continue to receive a reimbursement for out of pocket pharmaceutical expenses.

The Abbott Government is honouring our commitment on pensions. The amount of the
pension will continue to increase twice a year as it always has.

It smacks of hypocrisy that the Labor Opposition the Party without a dedicated policy for
veterans affairs at the 2013 Federal election - now seeks to criticise the Coalition who has a
clear record of delivering for veterans and their families.

Its high time the Shadow Minister and former Minister ceased peddling untruths to Australias
veterans.

Media inquiries: Minister Ronaldson: Brad Rowswell 6277 7820 or 0417 917 796
Department of Veterans Affairs Media: 02 6289 6203