Comments on: Disappointing announcement on the Matthews Report http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/ Taking Australia forward with openness and vision Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:35:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kate Lundy http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-90291 Kate Lundy Fri, 24 Jun 2011 05:10:58 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-90291 As a result of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill not passing in the Senate, I understand many people are frustrated. Throughout my advocacy on this issue I have made it clear that I am bound to vote with the Labor Caucus decision. Asserting that I personally held a deciding vote for this bill is incorrect and misleading. For those interested, I explain Labor’s opposition to the bill in my Parliamentary Speech. In summary, this bill did not provide a sustainable, fair and funded solution to the inadequacy of CPI indexation. http://www.katelundy.com.au/2011/06/17/parliamentary-speech-on-the-defence-force-retirement-and-death-benefits-amendment-fair-indexation-bill/ I will write another blog post on this issue in the future, but due to recent inappropriate and threatening comments (which unfairly reflect on many passionate and constructive advocates for fair indexation) I am closing comments for the time being. Please read the code of conduct for my website if you are interested in what we are trying to achieve through the blog http://www.katelundy.com.au/website/ You can continue to contact me about this issue through my email address senator.lundy@aph.gov.au or write to me at 11 London Cct Canberra 2601 ACT. I would like to thank those individuals and organisations who have worked with me on this issue to date. I will continue to campaign for an indexation system that reflects the cost of living, as I have for many years. As a result of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill not passing in the Senate, I understand many people are frustrated.

Throughout my advocacy on this issue I have made it clear that I am bound to vote with the Labor Caucus decision. Asserting that I personally held a deciding vote for this bill is incorrect and misleading.

For those interested, I explain Labor’s opposition to the bill in my Parliamentary Speech. In summary, this bill did not provide a sustainable, fair and funded solution to the inadequacy of CPI indexation. http://www.katelundy.com.au/2011/06/17/parliamentary-speech-on-the-defence-force-retirement-and-death-benefits-amendment-fair-indexation-bill/

I will write another blog post on this issue in the future, but due to recent inappropriate and threatening comments (which unfairly reflect on many passionate and constructive advocates for fair indexation) I am closing comments for the time being. Please read the code of conduct for my website if you are interested in what we are trying to achieve through the blog http://www.katelundy.com.au/website/

You can continue to contact me about this issue through my email address senator.lundy@aph.gov.au or write to me at 11 London Cct Canberra 2601 ACT.

I would like to thank those individuals and organisations who have worked with me on this issue to date. I will continue to campaign for an indexation system that reflects the cost of living, as I have for many years.

]]> By: Mark Vinton http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89709 Mark Vinton Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:50:15 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89709 I find it hard to understand, that when it comes to passing a bill or motion that improves the pensions or allowances that are received by our countries politicians, there is very little opposition or debate. Yet when it comes to increasing the pensions or pay for those people who chose to spend their life serving their country, our elected officials seem to have lost the ability to follow through on their promises. I was a member of defence, when after a 10 year wage freeze, it was requested that a pay rise of 10% with 1 years back pay at 5% would be fair. The decision was made that the economy could only afford to increase the wages of defence personnel by 5%, incremented over 3 years with no back pay. Immediately after that decision, all politicians voted on a 30% pay raise, for themselves. While I do not begrudge our politicians receiving a reasonable wage for the job that they are supposed to do, I hope they keep it in mind that they are the ones who also make the decision to send our defence force to risk their lives. I find it hard to understand, that when it comes to passing a bill or motion that improves the pensions or allowances that are received by our countries politicians, there is very little opposition or debate. Yet when it comes to increasing the pensions or pay for those people who chose to spend their life serving their country, our elected officials seem to have lost the ability to follow through on their promises.
I was a member of defence, when after a 10 year wage freeze, it was requested that a pay rise of 10% with 1 years back pay at 5% would be fair. The decision was made that the economy could only afford to increase the wages of defence personnel by 5%, incremented over 3 years with no back pay. Immediately after that decision, all politicians voted on a 30% pay raise, for themselves.
While I do not begrudge our politicians receiving a reasonable wage for the job that they are supposed to do, I hope they keep it in mind that they are the ones who also make the decision to send our defence force to risk their lives.

]]> By: John Sainsbury http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89601 John Sainsbury Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:40:26 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89601 John Sainsbury Posted August 28, 2009 at 12:03 pm | Permalink | Reply Kate, Do you have the gumption to stand up to Rudd and Tanner over this issue. It stinks. If it is good enough for polies to have pensions linked to parlamentry saleries,surely it is only right that retired military and public servant’s have pensions indexed to male average weekly earnings, the same as old age and service pensions. Further to my comments in August 2009 above, nothing has changed and the following is made. Dear Senator After your vote in the Senate last week in relation to the Indexation of DFRDB/DFRB which killed the passing of the bill, I can only hold you in the utmost contempt after all the posturing you and others in the Labor Party carried out in support of indexation before the last election. This was just another ploy to get elected. It is about time you and others in the Labor Party in the ACT and elsewhere in Australia, stopped taking ex and current members of the ADF for granted. I hope you felt a glow after your vote. John Sainsbury Latham ACT. John Sainsbury
Posted August 28, 2009 at 12:03 pm | Permalink | Reply
Kate,
Do you have the gumption to stand up to Rudd and Tanner over this issue. It stinks. If it is good enough for polies to have pensions linked to parlamentry saleries,surely it is only right that retired military and public servant’s have pensions indexed to male average weekly earnings, the same as old age and service pensions.

Further to my comments in August 2009 above, nothing has changed and the following is made.

Dear Senator

After your vote in the Senate last week in relation to the Indexation of DFRDB/DFRB which killed the passing of the bill, I can only hold you in the utmost contempt after all the posturing you and others in the Labor Party carried out in support of indexation before the last election.

This was just another ploy to get elected.

It is about time you and others in the Labor Party in the ACT and elsewhere in Australia, stopped taking ex and current members of the ADF for granted.

I hope you felt a glow after your vote.

John Sainsbury

Latham ACT.

]]> By: Consie Larmour http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89569 Consie Larmour Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:45:23 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89569 Understandably people are annoyed by the failure of the Senate to pass the Coalition’s proposed DFRDB Indexation Bill, but the attacks on Senator Lundy’s motives in voting against the Bill are unwarranted. The Bill applied to one section only of military superannuants and excluded the rest, as well as those on civilian pensions. It was extremely divisive. In pre-election meetings held in Canberra when proposals for this Bill were being aired, Senator Lundy pointed to the problems it would cause, and Senator Humphries admitted that the Coalition had no plans to extend the indexation provisions to other similarly disadvantaged groups (such as over 7200 Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme (MSBS) members, or those in the CSS or PSS schemes. Senator Lundy has been promoting proposals for the development of a targeted Analytical Living Cost Index to apply to the indexation of Commonwealth Defence and civilian superannuants. Please see http://www.katelundy.com.au/2011/06/17/parliamentary-speech-on-the-defence-force-retirement-and-death-benefits-amendment-fair-indexation-bill/ Consie Larmour Office of Senator Lundy Understandably people are annoyed by the failure of the Senate to pass the Coalition’s proposed DFRDB Indexation Bill, but the attacks on Senator Lundy’s motives in voting against the Bill are unwarranted. The Bill applied to one section only of military superannuants and excluded the rest, as well as those on civilian pensions. It was extremely divisive. In pre-election meetings held in Canberra when proposals for this Bill were being aired, Senator Lundy pointed to the problems it would cause, and Senator Humphries admitted that the Coalition had no plans to extend the indexation provisions to other similarly disadvantaged groups (such as over 7200 Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme (MSBS) members, or those in the CSS or PSS schemes. Senator Lundy has been promoting proposals for the development of a targeted Analytical Living Cost Index to apply to the indexation of Commonwealth Defence and civilian superannuants.

Please see http://www.katelundy.com.au/2011/06/17/parliamentary-speech-on-the-defence-force-retirement-and-death-benefits-amendment-fair-indexation-bill/

Consie Larmour
Office of Senator Lundy

]]> By: Derek Wilkinson http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89566 Derek Wilkinson Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:18:01 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89566 It seems that outright lying through the teeth is prevalent amongst our politicians, especially the female variety. Maybe it is contagious. It was bad enough that Gillard lied through her teeth on the Carbon Tax debacle, but it is absolutely disgusting and mean spirited for Lundy to betray the retired Defence community, especially when she blatantly promised to fight for justice on our behalf. Hang your head in shame Lundy. I hope you sleep at night. And when you do sleep, I hope that you have nightmares and pangs of guilt, at abandoning the promises you made to those of us who served Australia. It is unprincipled lying traitors like you that sometimes shake my faith in our great nation. It seems that outright lying through the teeth is prevalent amongst our politicians, especially the female variety. Maybe it is contagious. It was bad enough that Gillard lied through her teeth on the Carbon Tax debacle, but it is absolutely disgusting and mean spirited for Lundy to betray the retired Defence community, especially when she blatantly promised to fight for justice on our behalf. Hang your head in shame Lundy. I hope you sleep at night. And when you do sleep, I hope that you have nightmares and pangs of guilt, at abandoning the promises you made to those of us who served Australia. It is unprincipled lying traitors like you that sometimes shake my faith in our great nation.

]]> By: Mat http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89484 Mat Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:56:16 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89484 Why does this not surprise me Senator, whilst your government has increased foreign aid by over two billion dollars you can't give a digger a fair go in his superannuation, many of which have fallen for this Nation. The double standards beggar belief a Prime Minister that cries at a soldiers funeral but couldn't care what happens to them in retirement. A refugee sues for $800,000 but last I checked a fallen diggers wife gets nothing like that. Maurie you name the time and place and I'll be there with a whole lot of other young veterans that are feed up with how Defence Personnel are treated. Lest We forget our fallen because the Prime Minister forgets as soon as the TV camera is switched off. Why does this not surprise me Senator, whilst your government has increased foreign aid by over two billion dollars you can’t give a digger a fair go in his superannuation, many of which have fallen for this Nation. The double standards beggar belief a Prime Minister that cries at a soldiers funeral but couldn’t care what happens to them in retirement. A refugee sues for $800,000 but last I checked a fallen diggers wife gets nothing like that.

Maurie you name the time and place and I’ll be there with a whole lot of other young veterans that are feed up with how Defence Personnel are treated. Lest We forget our fallen because the Prime Minister forgets as soon as the TV camera is switched off.

]]> By: Peter Dore http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89466 Peter Dore Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:07:20 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89466 Kate, I received this in the email today.... I have to say I am stunned and disappointed at your turn around. Peter Doré ---- SENATOR GARY HUMPHRIES Liberal Senator for the Australian Capital Territory Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney-General Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Materiel ***MEDIA RELEASE*** LUNDY SINKS DEFENCE RETIREMENT BILL Commonwealth superannuants in Canberra were dealt a blow today by Senator Lundy’s rank hypocrisy on Commonwealth pension indexation when she voted against a bill to give fair indexation to DFRDB recipients. The Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2010 would have indexed DFRDB pensions against either the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI) or Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE). This is in line with the Coalition’s commitment at last year’s Federal election. Senator Lundy, who supposedly supports fair indexation (see http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/), voted against the bill today. Given that the bill was lost by one vote, Senator Lundy’s decision has cost the Defence retirees of Canberra and Australia dearly. “I am stunned at Senator Lundy’s hypocrisy,” Senator Humphries said today. “It is just not good enough to campaign on an issue at an election, and then vote against that position in Parliament. “The Coalition made a very strong commitment to the veterans' community at the last election and we voted to see that through,” Senator Humphries said today. “We should not forget that the Labor Government broke its 2007 election commitment to ‘fix’ the issue of military superannuation indexation. Since then it has spent more time and energy criticising the Coalition’s plan than coming up with one of its own. It continues to have no plan to reform military superannuation. “There are thousands of DFRDB superannuants in the ACT. Voting for this bill was a very important first step towards eventual fair indexation for all Commonwealth superannuants. “Commonwealth superannuants now know where they truly stand with Labor,” Senator Humphries concluded. 16 June 2011 Kate, I received this in the email today…. I have to say I am stunned and disappointed at your turn around.

Peter Doré
—-

SENATOR GARY HUMPHRIES
Liberal Senator for the Australian Capital Territory
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Materiel

***MEDIA RELEASE***

LUNDY SINKS DEFENCE RETIREMENT BILL

Commonwealth superannuants in Canberra were dealt a blow today by Senator Lundy’s rank hypocrisy on Commonwealth pension indexation when she voted against a bill to give fair indexation to DFRDB recipients.

The Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2010 would have indexed DFRDB pensions against either the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI) or Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE). This is in line with the Coalition’s commitment at last year’s Federal election.

Senator Lundy, who supposedly supports fair indexation (see http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/), voted against the bill today. Given that the bill was lost by one vote, Senator Lundy’s decision has cost the Defence retirees of Canberra and Australia dearly.

“I am stunned at Senator Lundy’s hypocrisy,” Senator Humphries said today.

“It is just not good enough to campaign on an issue at an election, and then vote against that position in Parliament.

“The Coalition made a very strong commitment to the veterans’ community at the last election and we voted to see that through,” Senator Humphries said today.

“We should not forget that the Labor Government broke its 2007 election commitment to ‘fix’ the issue of military superannuation indexation. Since then it has spent more time and energy criticising the Coalition’s plan than coming up with one of its own. It continues to have no plan to reform military superannuation.

“There are thousands of DFRDB superannuants in the ACT. Voting for this bill was a very important first step towards eventual fair indexation for all Commonwealth superannuants.

“Commonwealth superannuants now know where they truly stand with Labor,” Senator Humphries concluded.

16 June 2011

]]> By: les turner http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89409 les turner Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:06:52 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89409 LJT REMEMBER WE VOTE and the military family is a very large. THOSE OF US WHO DONE OUR 20years or more in some shithole and have never been looked after since.THANK YOU LADY JANE WHO VOTED AGAINST THIS BILL GLAD SHE DID NOT SERVE IN STH VIETNAN WOULD HAVE CHANGAD SIDES DURING A BATTLE LJT REMEMBER WE VOTE and the military family is a very large. THOSE OF US WHO DONE OUR 20years or more in some shithole and have never been looked after since.THANK YOU LADY JANE WHO VOTED AGAINST THIS BILL GLAD SHE DID NOT SERVE IN STH VIETNAN WOULD HAVE CHANGAD SIDES DURING A BATTLE

]]> By: Michael Downs http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89298 Michael Downs Sun, 19 Jun 2011 09:48:08 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89298 Well, we know where we stand with Kate Lundy now. The hypocracy of the woman is astounding and ranks second to her leader's statement before the last election that there would be no carbon tax under her government. Given the opportunity to put things right with the Defence retirement community, who killed the bill by voting against it? I'll tell you, the hyporcite Kate Lundy thats who. The bill went down by one vote and that vote was cast by Kate Lundy, the woman who campaigned at the last election on this issue. Just goes to show, you simply cannot trust anything said by any member of the ALP, not just the prime minister. Well, we know where we stand with Kate Lundy now. The hypocracy of the woman is astounding and ranks second to her leader’s statement before the last election that there would be no carbon tax under her government. Given the opportunity to put things right with the Defence retirement community, who killed the bill by voting against it? I’ll tell you, the hyporcite Kate Lundy thats who. The bill went down by one vote and that vote was cast by Kate Lundy, the woman who campaigned at the last election on this issue. Just goes to show, you simply cannot trust anything said by any member of the ALP, not just the prime minister.

]]> By: Garry Adams http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/08/21/disappointing-announcement-on-the-matthews-report/comment-page-1/#comment-89277 Garry Adams Sun, 19 Jun 2011 07:04:41 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4280#comment-89277 What more could we expect from Senator Lundy.. with this inept and incompetant band of oafs running the current government who have stuffed up every thing they have touched so far.. Senator Lundy had a chance to do something right for the veterans of this country but she failed, but then again perhaps the real leaders of the government, Bob Brown and his communist greens did not give her permission to vote yes.. Sname on you !!!! What more could we expect from Senator Lundy.. with this inept and incompetant band of oafs running the current government who have stuffed up every thing they have touched so far..

Senator Lundy had a chance to do something right for the veterans of this country but she failed, but then again perhaps the real leaders of the government, Bob Brown and his communist greens did not give her permission to vote yes..

Sname on you !!!!

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