Today Labor has voted to ensure that increases in pay for Australian Defence Force personnel can never fall below inflation.

 

The Defence Amendment (Fair Pay for Members of the ADF) Bill 2014 links, as a minimum, ADF pay to the higher percentage increase of either the Consumer Price Index or politicians pay.

 

This puts in place a floor below which ADF pay can’t fall.

 

Through this Bill, ADF personnel know that their pay will – at the very least - always keep up with the cost of living.

 

Nothing in this Bill stops the Government of the day providing a higher increase.

 

What it will prevent is the Abbott Government trying once again to cut the pay of our servicemen and women.

 

This government simply can’t be trusted to do the right thing when it comes to the pay and conditions of ADF personnel.

 

The only party that has cut the pay and conditions of our defence force personnel is the Liberal Party.

 

The Bill has a three-year sunset clause and ensures that if inflation moves above the Government’s recent pay increase, then the ADF won’t be worse off.

 

The process for the determination of ADF pay must be effective and transparent and properly take into account the unique nature of military service. This should be done in close consultation with Defence advocacy groups.

 

THURSDAY, 19 MARCH 2015

 

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