-
Five Years of Broadband Policy Failure from Labor
Paul Fletcher’s Broadband Briefing
Five years after Labor announced its broadband policy, Australia’s broadband penetration ranking has dropped and Labor’s policy has made zero difference to the broadband service received by 99.9 per cent of Australians.
Written on Friday, 18 May 2012 00:00 in Broadband Briefing Read 4 times Read more... -
Principal's Courageous Action Highlights Threat of Cyberbullying
A Queensland Principal's decisive and courageous action - threatening to expel children under 13 with Facebook profiles - highlights the real dangers of unrestricted social media use by children too young to judge the risks involved, said Paul Fletcher MP, Chair of the Coalition's Online Safety Working Group.
Written on Friday, 18 May 2012 00:00 in Media Releases Read 1 times Read more... -
Bradfield Community Meeting Calls on Gillard to Apologise
A Community Meeting held by Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield has resolved to call on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to apologise for her divisive and inappropriate comments about Sydney’s North Shore.
Written on Friday, 18 May 2012 00:00 in Media Releases Read 1 times Read more... -
Investors defrauded of $176 million in Trio collapse, parliamentary committee finds
Over 6000 Australian superannuation and other investors were defrauded of $176 million in the Trio scandal according to a Parliamentary Committee report just released, Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher said today.
Mr Fletcher, a member of the Parliament's Corporations and Financial Services Committee, said the Committee began its inquiry last year on his recommendation, after he was approached by constituents who had lost money in the collapse of Trio.
Written on Friday, 18 May 2012 00:00 in Media Releases Read 1 times Read more... -
Schoolkids Bonus Budget Measures
Mr FLETCHER (Bradfield) (10:51): I am pleased to rise to speak on the Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment (Schoolkids Bonus Budget Measures) Bill 2012. Let me start by noting that the process under which the House of Representatives is being asked to consider this bill is a deeply deficient one. The first official announcement of this measure was in the Treasurer's budget speech last night. We now have a bill which was introduced this morning that was only available to members of the House to review from 9.30 this morning.
Written on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 00:00 in Parliamentary Speeches Read 30 times Read more...
Paul Fletcher MP - Federal Member for Bradfield - Liberal Party
What is the Coalition’s view on the indexation of military pensions?
Category: Uncategorised Published Date Written by Paul Fletcher MP Hits: 579
The Coalition’s policy, in the 2010 Federal election, was that we would introduce better indexation arrangements for Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme (DFRDB) members aged 55 years and older. DFRDB members aged 55 and over would have had have their military superannuation pension indexed to the greater of movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) or the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI). These changes would have taken effect from 1 July 2011.
The Coalition’s commitment contrasts starkly with the current Labor Government’s lack of action on this issue. Labor has broken its promise to fix this issue.
Many in the defence and veteran community have welcomed this commitment from the Coalition. It represents an important step in the Coalition’s efforts to address key concerns of the veteran and ex-service community.
In developing this policy, the Coalition spent considerable time consulting with veterans, ex-service people, ex-service organisations and current ADF personnel. We concluded that the overwhelming view held by interested groups and individuals was for the introduction of a more equitable indexation method for DFRDB members.
In comparison to Military Superannuation Benefits Scheme (MSBS) members, who earn an investment (market) return on their contribution, DFRDB members rely solely on the movements and changes in indexation for their pension to keep pace with cost of living pressures.
The Coalition also considers the appropriate age at which to introduce the new indexation arrangements is from age 55. This ensures the policy is consistent with the preservation age provisions that apply to the service pension.
Importantly, DFRDB members aged under 55 will benefit from this policy by having the new indexation methodology applied to their military superannuation pension upon turning 55 years of age.
In government, the Coalition would also give careful consideration to further steps, including the indexation arrangements for disability pensions under the DFRDB scheme.