'Fair Go' Campaign
SUPPORT THE RAR ASSOCIATION AND THE DEFENCE FORCE WELFARE ASSOCIATION “FAIR GO!” CAMPAIGN TO HAVE THE GOVERNMENT REMEDY OUR UNFAIR MILITARY SUPERANNUATION INDEXATION FORMULA
WHAT DO WE WANT?
All we want is a fair go!
The RAR Association with the DFWA is appealing to everyone in the Defence community of serving and former service men and women, and their families, to support our campaign for superannuation pension justice. We want the Government to remedy the unfair and discriminatory features of our military superannuation schemes, especially the grossly unfair indexation formula, and have the Opposition and other parties support us in their election policy platforms.
We want the same indexation formula as the Age/Service pension so that our superannuation pension purchasing power is protected over time.
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Members of our DFRDB and MSBS military superannuation schemes are unfairly treated when compared with all other Australians. We paid a higher compulsory percentage of our pay than public servants. We receive a lower average super pension than public servants. Our super pensions are taxed until the day we die. The vast majority of Australians pay no tax on their super pensions after age 60.
Our surviving spouses receive 62.5% of their loved one’s DFRDB pension when the latter dies. Surviving spouses of pre-2004 Federal MPs receive 83%.
Our super pensions are indexed using an outdated formula that erodes our pension purchasing power. The decade-old Age and Service pension indexation formula, rightly, protects the purchasing power of those pensions.
WHAT’S THE STORY?
Our indexation formula, based solely on CPI, no longer meets the original intention of retaining pension purchasing power. Military super pensions do not keep up with the cost of living. Even the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) says that “CPI is not a purchasing power or cost of living measure.”
The Government recognised this fact in 1997 when it abandoned the Age/Service Pension CPI indexation formula alone. The formula now includes a wages based measure (Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE)) and more recently included the Pensioner & Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI) in the formula to in effect adjust these pensions by whichever is the greater.
The Commonwealth superannuation scheme for pre-2004 Federal MPs uses a wage based indexation formula that is more generous than MTAWE. A comparison of these three different indexation formulae over the last 20 years clearly shows the obvious unfairness of CPI, which does not protect pension purchasing power.
After 20 years using CPI to index a $20,000 commencing pension, the recipient receives $7,000 per annum less than they would have received had their pension been indexed in the same way as the Age & Service pensions. The continued use of the CPI indexation formula for military superannuation pensions is blatant discrimination against servicemen and women, their families, and those they leave behind. And ask yourself: If the Government can afford fair indexation for 3.3 million welfare pensioners, and very generous indexation for its own MPs, why can it not afford fair indexation for 64 thousand military superannuation pensioners?
I encourage all military superannuation pension recipients (ex-service persons and their widows) and all who currently contribute to military superannuation schemes to act with their families and friends to support our campaign.
The one distinguishing characteristic of our military profession is that we are a family that cares for each other. So even though this matter may not directly affect you we ask you to support those who are affected.
The official launch presentation by The Defence Force Welfare Association may be viewed on YouTube at <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ztTbtbACeQ>
A couple of questions were asked at the interview and then after the launch, to explain further. David was then taken to the Press Gallery where he briefed a number of journalists from ABC TV, Fairfax Press, AAP, Adelaide Advertise and The Herald Sun.
For all please let me know if there is any media coverage of the launch in your areas so that we can build on it.
HOW TO HELP?
You can help in three ways, by:
1. Donating to our Campaign. We need to fund the campaign (estimated at $80,000) from donations and other revenue raising means. All donations will be receipted, (unfortunately they are not tax deductible) and donors’ names, but not the amounts, will be published on our web site www.rar.org.au If you do not want your name published then please tell us. Unused funds at the campaign’s end will be donated to a facility that cares for veterans and veterans’ families.
Donations can be made by:
• Cash to your RARA State or Unit Association, or
• Cheque or Money Order posted to:
The RAR Association National.
Enoggera Mail Centre
Gallipoli Barracks
Enoggera, Qld 4051, or
Bank transfer to
The RAR Association National Account
BSB: 064 140
Account Number: 10138062
Reference: Fair Go,
and email your name, date and amount to receipt@rar.org.au
2. Volunteering to assist our State/Territory or Local Action Groups established within your electorate. Details will follow. Please let me know at fairgo@rar.org.au if you can help and the name of your electorate.
3. Spreading the word to your family, warrior mates and friends, encouraging all of them to send their email address to keepinformed@rar.org.au so that we can update them on the Campaign’s progress.
IT’S TIME!
Support our “Fair Go!” Campaign.
Ted Chitham
RARA Campaign Director
PS. The 4 RAR Association, Qld has donated $1,000.00 to this cause in support of all those who are members of the 4 RAR Association, Qld. Your personal financial assistance is still requested by the national RAR Association. The next time that you go to the bank might I suggest that you donate $5 each to this worthy cause? Who knows; maybe you will get it back in your pension account very shortly. If so, it will be as a result of your financial assistance and the untiring efforts of the National RAR Association supported by all battalion associations in supporting and working for the benefit of all serving and former RAR members and former 4 RAR members whether they formerly belong to a 4 RAR association or not.
All we want is a fair go!
The RAR Association with the DFWA is appealing to everyone in the Defence community of serving and former service men and women, and their families, to support our campaign for superannuation pension justice. We want the Government to remedy the unfair and discriminatory features of our military superannuation schemes, especially the grossly unfair indexation formula, and have the Opposition and other parties support us in their election policy platforms.
We want the same indexation formula as the Age/Service pension so that our superannuation pension purchasing power is protected over time.
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Members of our DFRDB and MSBS military superannuation schemes are unfairly treated when compared with all other Australians. We paid a higher compulsory percentage of our pay than public servants. We receive a lower average super pension than public servants. Our super pensions are taxed until the day we die. The vast majority of Australians pay no tax on their super pensions after age 60.
Our surviving spouses receive 62.5% of their loved one’s DFRDB pension when the latter dies. Surviving spouses of pre-2004 Federal MPs receive 83%.
Our super pensions are indexed using an outdated formula that erodes our pension purchasing power. The decade-old Age and Service pension indexation formula, rightly, protects the purchasing power of those pensions.
WHAT’S THE STORY?
Our indexation formula, based solely on CPI, no longer meets the original intention of retaining pension purchasing power. Military super pensions do not keep up with the cost of living. Even the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) says that “CPI is not a purchasing power or cost of living measure.”
The Government recognised this fact in 1997 when it abandoned the Age/Service Pension CPI indexation formula alone. The formula now includes a wages based measure (Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE)) and more recently included the Pensioner & Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI) in the formula to in effect adjust these pensions by whichever is the greater.
The Commonwealth superannuation scheme for pre-2004 Federal MPs uses a wage based indexation formula that is more generous than MTAWE. A comparison of these three different indexation formulae over the last 20 years clearly shows the obvious unfairness of CPI, which does not protect pension purchasing power.
After 20 years using CPI to index a $20,000 commencing pension, the recipient receives $7,000 per annum less than they would have received had their pension been indexed in the same way as the Age & Service pensions. The continued use of the CPI indexation formula for military superannuation pensions is blatant discrimination against servicemen and women, their families, and those they leave behind. And ask yourself: If the Government can afford fair indexation for 3.3 million welfare pensioners, and very generous indexation for its own MPs, why can it not afford fair indexation for 64 thousand military superannuation pensioners?
I encourage all military superannuation pension recipients (ex-service persons and their widows) and all who currently contribute to military superannuation schemes to act with their families and friends to support our campaign.
The one distinguishing characteristic of our military profession is that we are a family that cares for each other. So even though this matter may not directly affect you we ask you to support those who are affected.
The official launch presentation by The Defence Force Welfare Association may be viewed on YouTube at <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ztTbtbACeQ>
A couple of questions were asked at the interview and then after the launch, to explain further. David was then taken to the Press Gallery where he briefed a number of journalists from ABC TV, Fairfax Press, AAP, Adelaide Advertise and The Herald Sun.
For all please let me know if there is any media coverage of the launch in your areas so that we can build on it.
HOW TO HELP?
You can help in three ways, by:
1. Donating to our Campaign. We need to fund the campaign (estimated at $80,000) from donations and other revenue raising means. All donations will be receipted, (unfortunately they are not tax deductible) and donors’ names, but not the amounts, will be published on our web site www.rar.org.au If you do not want your name published then please tell us. Unused funds at the campaign’s end will be donated to a facility that cares for veterans and veterans’ families.
Donations can be made by:
• Cash to your RARA State or Unit Association, or
• Cheque or Money Order posted to:
The RAR Association National.
Enoggera Mail Centre
Gallipoli Barracks
Enoggera, Qld 4051, or
Bank transfer to
The RAR Association National Account
BSB: 064 140
Account Number: 10138062
Reference: Fair Go,
and email your name, date and amount to receipt@rar.org.au
2. Volunteering to assist our State/Territory or Local Action Groups established within your electorate. Details will follow. Please let me know at fairgo@rar.org.au if you can help and the name of your electorate.
3. Spreading the word to your family, warrior mates and friends, encouraging all of them to send their email address to keepinformed@rar.org.au so that we can update them on the Campaign’s progress.
IT’S TIME!
Support our “Fair Go!” Campaign.
Ted Chitham
RARA Campaign Director
PS. The 4 RAR Association, Qld has donated $1,000.00 to this cause in support of all those who are members of the 4 RAR Association, Qld. Your personal financial assistance is still requested by the national RAR Association. The next time that you go to the bank might I suggest that you donate $5 each to this worthy cause? Who knows; maybe you will get it back in your pension account very shortly. If so, it will be as a result of your financial assistance and the untiring efforts of the National RAR Association supported by all battalion associations in supporting and working for the benefit of all serving and former RAR members and former 4 RAR members whether they formerly belong to a 4 RAR association or not.
Supported by the 4 RAR Associations of Australia
Click the link below to view and print a copy of the Fair Go letter to send to your local politicians.
Don't forget to include their names and your contact details.
Don't forget to include their names and your contact details.
 |
For the names and addresses of all parliamentary representatives in Australia go to www.aph.gov.au then HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES then SENATE.
To add to the online petition by Steve Fielding, click this link.
 |
Subject : Veterans' Superannuation