The Federal Member for Hinkler David Batt MP is calling on the Labor Government to immediately reverse the decision to impose a $5,000 annual cap on allied health services for Veterans.
Mr Batt is hosting mobile office events across the Hinkler electorate this week and he has spoken directly with angry Veterans. The electorate office has also been inundated with emails and calls.
“One Veteran put it simply – Veterans are not a line item. They are Australians who put their lives, bodies and futures on the line for this country,” Mr Batt explained.
“The Coalition strongly opposes this measure. It’s a cost-cutting decision that impacts the men and women who have served our nation and carry the physical and psychological costs of service.
We know that many Hinkler Veterans rely on allied health services not as a luxury, but as an essential part of managing their service-related injuries and conditions.”
Mr Batt said veterans should not be asked to bear the cost of Labor’s budget repair.
“The result will be Veterans going without treatment, their conditions worsening, and the burden of their care falling back on their families and household budgets.
Veterans deserve certainty that the care they need will be there, for as long as they need it. Caps on services undermine that commitment and send the wrong message to those currently serving and those considering a career in the Australian Defence Force.”