BROKEN ELECTION PROMISES

Bob Baldwin, Member for Paterson today called on Mr Griffin to explain to current ADF personnel, their families, veterans and ex-service people who reside in Paterson why the Gillard Labor Government betrayed their trust at the last election.

“Defence members, past and present, have every right to feel betrayed by the Gillard Labor Government, who promised them so much in the lead up to the 2007 Federal Election, but have since delivered very little,” said Mr Baldwin.

Mr Baldwin said that any promises made by Mr Griffin should be considered nothing but hot air and that his track record of delivering words, rather than action, would mean that Paterson residents would find it very difficult to take Mr Griffin seriously.

“There are some fundamental questions that Mr Griffin, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, should answer while travelling in Paterson.

“For instance, he should explain why the Gillard Labor Government failed to deliver on its 2007 election promise to deliver 12 Defence Family Health Care Clinics, one of which was supposedly going to be built in Raymond Terrace or Medowie and another in Singleton.

“He might also like to explain why, after promising to take action on the costs of pharmaceuticals for veterans and ex-service people, all the Gillard Labor Government has done in almost three years is deliver yet another review.

“Furthermore, I’m sure many residents would like to know why Mr Griffin and the Gillard Labor Government have failed to deliver on their 2007 election promise to restore the value of compensation and prevent the further erosion of military superannuation due to unfair indexation.

Mr Baldwin said that the Coalition’s policy on the indexation of military superannuation pensions was crystal clear.

“On July 1, 2011, DFRDB and DFRB members aged over 55 will have their pensions indexed to the greater of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Male Total

Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) or the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI).