Australian Defence Force

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:41): I rise today to condemn the Abbott government's harsh pay offer to Australian Defence Force personnel. Despite assurances to the contrary, the Prime Minister is set to slash funding to education, health, the ABC, SBS and many other important services. The Prime Minister has also pledged to cut the pay of our Australian Defence Force personnel. He is cutting the real living wage of the men and women bravely putting their life on the line for the good of Australia.

The Prime Minister seems to be partially backing down from other harsh measures he intended to enforce; however, he refuses to change his stance on his government's below inflation pay rise offer of just 1.5 per cent. While I welcome the Prime Minister backing down on other cuts he wished to impose on soldiers' Christmas leave, their driving allowance and leave to make up for overtime, these cuts should never have been considered in the first place.

The Prime Minister continues to back his most draconian measure: cutting the real pay of our soldiers over the next few years. In the words of Australian Defence Association Executive Director Mr Neil James, a very good man, 'ADF members' pay will continue to run down.' Mr James went on further to say that the government had used the 1.5 per cent pay increase, a cut in real terms, to set a benchmark for its broader pay battles with public sector unions. He went on further to say:

…the government should not use an apolitical institution like the ADF as part of a 'bargaining strategy' with the public sector.

I could not agree more. It is unprofessional, un-prime ministerial and un-Australian. I place on the record my condemnation of this measure. No-one is more valued in our community than the ADF, and to use their living standards as a political football is shameful and wrong. A grassroots petition condemning the cuts, which circulated recently, has already gathered over 60,000 signatures not just from Australians but also from people from around the world who value, honour and have reason to be thankful for the Australian military. Mr Quan Ha Dong, a Vietnamese citizen, posted on the petition a message, which reads:

During the war the Australian soldiers protected my family. I would not be alive today if they did not save us.

I can concur with those comments. In my first speech in this chamber I thanked the Vietnam veterans and their families for the sacrifices they made, and I therefore support the ADF personnel in their fight for a fair pay rise.