Minister from R May

Ms Dana Vale

Minister for Veterans Affairs

Minister

I have been involved in the campaign for A Fair Deal for disabled Veterans for some time now. I was part of a delegation that spoke with your predecessor, Bruce Scott, during the Rally in Canberra last year.

During that meeting I saw at first hand the attempt by Minister Scott to divide the parties involved in the campaign.

I trust that we will see from you a different approach. As you already have all the facts available to you from your staff and the Department files, I will not bore you by repeating any of that.

I ask only that you take some positive steps on this issue and advise the TPI Federation and other ESOs what your department and the Government are going to do about this issue.

We don't want to be advised that there is to be yet another inquiry into the matter, there already have been several. From the information presented by the TPI Federation, validated by your staff and Department and the Repatriation Commission we know

There has been a deterioration of the value of the TPI payment because of the lack of a benchmark.

There is a discrepancy in the legislation when dealing with TPIs with and without qualifying service.

I would like to remind you of a quote from a famous American statesman and leader George Washington

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation".

And from one of Australia's Prime Ministers at the time of the introduction of the Acts

" We have to them, you go and fight and when you come back we will look after your welfare" and

"We have entered into a bargain with the soldier and we must keep it ..."

And from Australia's Senator G.F. Pearce who in the second reading speech in the senate on 17 Dec 1914 said

"One of the saddest spectacles of the past has been to see men who have been willing to risk their lives in the defence of the country left destitute and the dependants of men who have laid down their lives for their country having to live on charity."

Respectfully

Robert (Bob) May

Vietnam Veteran 67/68 70/71

TPI

Email: rfmay@bigpond.com

Mobile Phone: 0418820641

Snail Mail

PO Box 363

Kingscote 5223