The Naval Association

The Naval Association

of Australia

Joint Media Release: Senator the Hon. Robert Hill The Hon. Danna Vale MP Minister for Defence Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Leader of the Government in the Senate Federal Member for Hughes
Monday 4 October 2004
Support and respect for Australia’s veterans and war widows
The Minister for Defence, Senator Robert Hill and the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Danna
Vale, today launched the Coalition’s election policy for veterans Saluting their Service.
Speaking at the Penshurst RSL with Liberal candidate for Banks, Roger Gray, the
Ministers announced that a re-elected Coalition Government would continue existing
veterans’ health care arrangements and provide a range of practical and financial supports
to our veterans and war widows.
In recognition of the increasing frailty of our World War II and Korean War veterans, the
Coalition will provide an additional $52.4 million for the Veterans’ Home Care programme.
“Since the programme’s inception in 2001, over 80 000 veterans and war widows have
received personal care and domestic services to help them remain safely at home. The
additional funding will allow for greater flexibility in the level of services provided to frail
and disabled veterans and war widows,” Mrs Vale said.
The Coalition will also increase the amount of bereavement payment to eligible
dependents of veterans in receipt of the above general rate of the disability pension at a
cost of $12.8 million over four years.
This will ensure that the eligible dependents of our more disabled veterans receive the full
amount of the disability pension that the veteran was receiving at the time of his death.
The Coalition values the contribution made by ex-service organisations to the welfare of
the veteran and war widow community. An additional $9.2 million will be provided to assist
ex-service organisations in their claims and advocacy work.
“Australia has a long and distinguished tradition of peacekeeping around the world. The
Coalition will provide $200 000 to the Australian Peacekeepers and Peacemakers
Association to assist in the establishment of a National Memorial to Peacekeepers in
Canberra,” Mrs Vale said.
Media Contacts:
Sascha Meldrum (Senator Hill) 0409 034 241
Claire Bannon (Mrs Vale) 0423 781 8962
The funding announced today is in addition to the $83 million over four years announced
by the Prime Minister on 6 September to increase the Medicare Schedule Fee to 115% for
General Practitioners treating eligible veterans and war widows and the $7.8 million
announced on 7 September for the commemoration of significant wartime anniversaries in
2005.
Veterans and war widows will also benefit from the proposed introduction of the utilities
supplement and exemption of accommodation bonds under the asset test, announced by
the Prime Minister on 1 October as part of the Coalition’s Recognising Senior Australians
policy.
“The Coalition has delivered real and sustainable benefits to veterans and war widows in
the past eight and half years.
Today’s policy announcement of a further $82.4 million over four years is evidence of the
Coalition’s commitment to our veteran and war widow community,” the Ministers said.