Govt backs down! We get our entitlements back
The Gillard Government has been forced into a humiliating backdown over plans to cancel family reunion travel for troops over the age of 21.
As part of its multi-billion dollar cuts to defence in the May budget , the government and Defence bean counters pushed for a measly $15 million saving by cutting the annual flight home for 22,000 unmarried defence members.
The move outraged the troops and their families, and Opposition defence personnel spokesman and former army officer Stuart Robert launched a motion to disallow the move several weeks ago after News Limited revealed the cut.
His motion didn’t make it to a vote and the government caved in today and reinstated the annual flight home when it realised it wouldn’t have the numbers to defeat the motion.
So as part of the defence budget cuts, they figured they would save money by cutting out entitlements. What other employer thinks they can just cut part of your pay? Anyway finally the news.com story has one really really good looking person in it…
Me
