Subj : NZ veteran support system under fire for unequal treatment
To   : All
From : News
Date : Mon Apr 22 2024 11:53 am

The RSA is concerned about veterans who may not be eligible for support if
they served after the Vietnam war.


The concern stemmed from Government plans to suspend the veterans
independence programme for new applicants and post-1974 service people.


According to Veterans Affairs New Zealand, the programme was built to provide
services and support to veterans who were unable to undertake activities
necessary for them to live independently in their own homes.


Under the new rules, these veterans would be no longer eligible for support
unless they served on an overseas deployment which had been classified as a
qualifying operational service.


For some veterans, even if their deployment has qualified, a condition has to
be linked directly to the deployment.


RSA general support services manager Andrew Brown told Breakfast he believed
the services were suspended from "internal pressures", as government agencies
continued to cut costs.


He said it was "unfortunate" these services were deemed "not as important" as
other things which the government provides.


"We know we get better health outcomes and wellbeing outcomes if veterans can
remain in their own homes."


Brown said it was worth it for the Government to continue to support all
veterans equally, as allowing them to stay in their own homes mean "less
pressure" on social services elsewhere.


"We want people to be self-reliant but, if they need support to stay in their
own home, what we want is a fairer system for veterans across generations and
access to support."


Brown said he had a constructive relationship with Veteran Affairs Minister
Chris Penk but he wanted the minister to work together on defining what a
veteran was, and how they could provide equal support across all generations
tothose who have served.


Veterans' Affairs deputy head Alex Brunt last month told Newshub that no vets
would be worse off with the independence programme being "paused" - and nor
was it as a directive from the Government to cut spending.


"We've got a discretionary area of our business, which is the veterans
independence programme and this is where we've put a pause on for a year - we
are shifting those resources to better enable us to better target and support
those veterans with a health-related condition."


Brunt said all the services offered under the programme were also available
through the public health or social welfare systems.


1News has sought comment from the Veteran Affairs Minister.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/64)
 * Origin: S.W.A.T.S BBS Telnet swatsbbs.ddns.net:2323 (63:10/102)

.