Veterans Affairs Minister Nathan Guy has something to announce: Veterans’ Pensions are incresing to cover inflation!! Stop the press.
What would really get veterans excited would be for National to follow through on their promise to implement the Law Commission’s recommendations and replace the War Pensions Act. For older veterans in particular, this is the number one priority.
But other than their election promise, National has been completely silent. They won’t say when they will introduce legislation, they won’t say how much they intend to spend and they won’t say what recommendations they will implement.
They’ve said nothing since the report was tabled in June last year 2010.
Veterans deserve better and breathlessly announcing what should be routine annual inflation adjustments doesn’t make up for dragging the chain on fixing the system.
I feel sorry for the veterans
BS. Why didn’t you replace the War Pensions Act?
What veterans REALLY want is less duty on alcohol at the local RSA.
Labour initiated the Law Commission review. That’s the most appropriate way to canvass the issues before replacing the Act. The Law Commission reported back in 2010. Labour started the job and National has had more than enough time to finish it.
Thank you Iain.
Hi Iain, are you promising to implement the Law Commission’s recommendations? How much do you intend to spend?
Labour’s policy is to implement the recommendations. Knowing how much that will cost as well as exactly how to do it requires the machinery of Government. National has had nearly two years to figure that out. More than enough time if it was a priority.
Part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed off on 6 December 2006 was that a review and rewrite of the War Pensions Act 1954 was to be implemented within 5 years. That 5 years was up on 6 December 2011.
Oh well they gave us a Tribute parade (40 years too late)and a piece of tin! I thought that the MOU was set in stone but it has now proved to be not worth the paper it was written on.
Another disgusted veteran.