For the aviation buff
Have a break from politics and enjoy a clip of the Oshkosh airshow.
link from Bruce Cox
If you are reading this, thank a Teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a Soldier
Lower house independents Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter said they would meet to discuss how they would approach forming a stable government but in separate interviews on the ABC all three refused to back either Labor or the Coalition.And and that’s the way they should play it. They can do a lot for their constituents but I have met Katter and Windsor and in the long term I can’t imagine them backing the ALP/Greens. Julia Gillard;
“the people have spoken and it’s going to take a little while to determined exactly what they said”They’ve said you’re gone Julia. Tony Abbott;
“And I say that a government which found it very hard to govern effecitvely with a majority of 17 seats will never be able to govern effectively in a minority.”I watched ‘Red’ Kerry and have no complaints with the way he handled the night. I was impressed with Stephen Smith, as I always have been, and must say he handled what must have been a shock to him, in a calm and professional manner. I also visited live blogs at Jack the Insiders and the ABC’s The Drum. The Drum was the most entertaining with people vowing to shift overseas if Abbott got in. A move, that on the whole, would enhance the intellectual standing of Australia. I hope they’re packing now…the writing is on the wall. I felt their pain as well as the anguish and spite of Maxine McKew. It was exquisite. The Greens have increased their power and that augers bad for the country (what on earth is in the water in Victoria – LSD?) The only possible plus I can see is that with one of them in the house of Reps the voters may see more of their insane policies and maybe, just maybe, think a bit. Optimistic I know but one can always live in hope.
The Coalition will provide $45.6 million for initiatives to better support Australia’s veterans and their families. To further help veterans with cost of living expenses, the Coalition will increase assistance for Veterans’ Pharmaceutical costs. From 1 January 2012, the Coalition will remove out-of-pocket expenses for pharmaceuticals for disabled veterans in receipt of 50 per cent of the General Rate of Disability Pension, or higher (including EDA and TPI). This will enable more than 87,000 veteran disability pensioners, including our most disabled veterans, to save up to $168 per year. This extension of the Pharmaceutical Safety net will cost $38 million over the forward estimates. The Coalition will also provide more recognition for Veterans’ widows and wives. We will establish a ‘VWWInc’ website for networking, information and advice. A national memorial recognising the contribution of widows and wives will be funded following consultation with them. The Coalition will identify, contact and encourage eligible indigenous war widows to apply for their entitlements. The Coalition will provide support to help Veterans make the transition from post-deployment and military life. The ‘We’ll Be There’ programme will provide training and support for volunteer veterans and ex-service people, to be available 24 hours a day, to speak directly to veterans. This programme will complement existing services provided by Vietnam Veterans’ Counselling Service. The Coalition will provide $7.5 million to expand the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Programme and the Training and Information Programme (TIP). These programmes assist ex-service organisations to provide pension and welfare assistance with resources and support. Giving these organisations support and training will help members of the veteran community and their family to receive practical assistance with claims for assistance from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The Coalition will respond to the Review of Military Compensation Arrangements. There is concern regarding the inflexibility of the current Act and the compulsory aspect of the rehabilitation requirement. The Coalition will consult with the veteran and ex-service community following this review. The Coalition will provide $100,000 towards the building of the Montevideo Maru memorial. This funding will be provided in the 2011-12 Budget for this memorial for those who lost their lives on the Montevideo Maru and in the Fall of Rabaul in 1942. The Coalition will conduct an audit of the locations of National Service Records, including the first and second intake, with the intention of having these records centrally located.And this to me is the clincher;
As previously announced, the Coalition will introduce new indexation arrangements for members of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme (DFRDB). Under the Coalition, from July next year, beneficiaries of the DFRB and DFRDB schemes aged 55 and over will have their pensions indexed to whichever is the highest of three indexes – the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) or the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI).
Australia’s service personnel, past and present, deserve respect and recognition from the community for their service. The Coalition is committed to caring for Australia’s veterans and their families and understands that this can only be achieved with renewed compassion, understanding and action. 12 August 2010ALP Veterans Policy? Haven’t seen one yet that’s worth reporting.