Sabin Mike: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Sabin Mike: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Sitting date: 16 October 2012. Volume:684;Page:5808. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
10. 
MIKE SABIN (National—Northland) 
 to the  
Minister of Veterans’ Affairs 
: What is the Government doing to improve the support and recognition given to veterans? 
Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister of Veterans’ Affairs) 
: 
 Yesterday the Prime Minister announced the Government’s response to the Law Commission’s review of the War Pensions Act 1954. The package adopts in full or in part 132 of the 170 recommendations and provides new funding of $60 million over the next 5 years to implement these changes. The major changes include new and updated legislation replacing the War Pensions Act 1954 with the introduction of two coverage schemes; an increase of 5 percent plus the annual CPI adjustment forecast to be around 1.8 percent bringing the increase close to 7 percent which would occur from 1 April next year for the war disablement and surviving spouse pensions; increased eligibility for support services such as home help and lawnmowing; and also new veterans weekly income compensation for veterans under the age of retirement and unable to work. I am proud of this very comprehensive package. 
Mike Sabin 
: When will these changes take effect? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: The 5 percent increase including the annual CPI adjustment to the war disablement and surviving spouse pensions will take effect from 1 April 2013. The bill to enact the other changes is currently being drafted and will be introduced to Parliament as soon as practicable. We will listen carefully to veterans and other members of the public through the select committee process. Our aim is for most of the changes to begin from 1 July 2014. 
Andrew Williams 
: As the Government has announced that it will adopt 132 of 170 recommendations of the Law Commission review of the War Pensions Act 1954 what do the other 38 recommendations encompass and what is the ongoing status and future of those remaining 38 recommendations? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not want the Minister to speak too long in answering that. 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: I am happy to go through those in some detail. The member is coming into my office this week; I think that would be the appropriate time to have that discussion. But in essence Cabinet made a very good decision to support veterans who have done an amazing amount of service for New Zealand. We are very mindful of the fact that the Law Commission took 3 years to draw up 170 recommendations that were uncosted. Of course 12 Government departments had to work through that process of doing the robust costings. I took the proposals through to Cabinet and I believe we have ended up at the right place in supporting veterans into the future. 
Andrew Williams 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. We do not need to have the full details but even a brief overview— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I accept the member’s point. He asked what the 38 recommendations were that were not picked up by the Government. I did not want the Minister to go through all 38 but some flavour of some example might have been helpful to answer the question. 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: One that was unfortunately not included was an increase in the funeral grant. Currently veterans do get a funeral grant but it is less than ACC recipients currently get. Cabinet also made a decision about one of the recommendations which was free medical care for those over 80. In essence Cabinet decided that we should be supporting veterans in need not in particular to their age. That gives you a flavour of some of the examples that we could not fund. I think the important thing is in very tight economic times that this is a very good package of $60 million supporting veterans now and into the future. 
Andrew Williams 
: How will the Minister ensure improved outcomes for veterans when many of those affected state that Veterans Affairs New Zealand otherwise known as VANZ continues at times to provide inconsistent advice and responses that are often illogical poorly timed abusive offensive and lacking any duty of care to the veterans? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: I do not agree with those assertions. It was interesting that when this Government came in at the end of 2008 there was a backlog of 11820 claims waiting to be considered. That is an embarrassment. They had been waiting for 6 months. Veterans Affairs under a decent Government regime has turned that round and now we do not have a backlog of claims. The member should stand up and applaud the direction of this Government to ensure that we are supporting veterans.