Liberals come clean on plan to gut veterans' pensions
Warren Snowdon
posted Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Today Liberal MP Jamie Briggs confirmed Tony Abbott's Liberals would gut pension payments, directly hitting increases for 3.4 million pensioners.
Writing in today's Financial Review, Mr Briggs says:
“Pensions, disability support, family tax benefits and childcare support, among others create a cycle of dependency for millions of Australians. The dead hand of government with its Centrelink chequebook encourages many Australians to believe that there’s no other way of life than putting your hand out.” BRIGGS OP ED – AFR – 7 FEBRUARY 2012
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Warren Snowdon hit back at the comments, saying the cuts would hit Australia's most vulnerable the hardest, including veterans and their families.
"Briggs refers to the important social support that millions of Australians rely on as 'the dead hand of government'."
The Liberals plan would hit:
◦ veterans and their families receiving the disability support pension;
◦ war widows' pension;
◦ service pension; and
◦ those receiving an income support supplement.
"Australia's 340,000 veterans and their families rely on these payments, often as their sole income. Cutting these payments would hurt some of our most vulnerable Australians."
"The Gillard Labor Government is committed to supporting families, the Liberals are obsessed with ripping support from the people who most need it," Mr Snowdon said.
Tags: Pensions, Veterans