IT is interesting to note that the Australian Defence Forces have been offered a three-year pay deal of 1.5 per cent a year for three years — less than inflation.
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A requirement of this deal is that they trade off some of their annual leave entitlements.
Compare this offer with the pay deals federal politicians received in 2010 to 2013.
On August 1, 2010, MPs received 3.8 per cent; on July 1, 2011, 3.6 per cent; March 15, 2012, 31.3 per cent; July 1, 2012, 3 per cent (all rises less than a year apart); July 1, 2013, 2.4 per cent.
Any sequential combination of these increases produces a pay rise of 36 per cent or more within a three-year period.
Should our defence forces feel dudded? Yes, and rightly so.
One could argue that our politicians are totally out of touch with reality.
Could this be because our Prime Minister Tony Abbott is paid more than the president of the US Barack Obama and the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, never has to buy a meal, pay for a drink or put fuel in his limo?
The only time our soldiers see a politician is when there is a photo opportunity before a deployment overseas or, more sadly, at a military funeral of a member who has paid the supreme sacrifice.
I think the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal should go back to the drawing board and ponder again its decision.
This pay offer is an insult and blatantly inadequate.
— MICHAEL COOPER,
Wodonga
