Defence Personnel Minister Darren Chester described a Border meeting on concerns about veterans' superannuation as "positive and constructive".
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Mr Chester met with Australian Defence Force Retirees Association representatives Jim Hislop, of Wodonga, and Rutherglen's Herb Ellerbock on Wednesday, two days after announcing an inquiry into the issue.
"I am looking forward to their contribution to the inquiry process," the minister said.
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The North East advocates, who believe the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits scheme has been denying members their full benefits, said Mr Chester gave them a good hearing.
"We were set for 20 minutes and he gave us about 35, which I thought was most generous of him," Mr Hislop said.
"From here, we will submit terms of reference for the inquiry and attempt to get leave to appear before the inquiry."
The ex-service association believes the existing scheme, which closed to new members in 1991, does not properly index benefits and requires excessive repayments of lump sums originally commuted.
Mr Ellerbock expected the terms of reference would be set in Canberra next week.
"The upshot is, what is this inquiry going to do?" he said.
"If we can expand the terms of reference of the inquiry and get appropriate panel member or panel members, then we've got a starting point.
"We're not super confident, you know, we are leading up to an election, this may well be a ploy to just try and shut us up to some degree or placate us."
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