The Morrison Government is failing to deliver on an election commitment to release a review of the Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) veterans’ pension. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has tried to bury a review of the TPI payment for 18 months and has failed to release the report for more than a year.

Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Shayne Neumann addressed the TPI Federation of Australia Annual National Congress by Zoom today, where he again called on the Government to release the TPI review.

“The Morrison Government commissioned a review of the TPI Pension in March 2019 to evaluate TPI veterans’ case for an increase in the payment to restore economic loss,” Mr Neumann told the Congress.

“This followed a hastily convened meeting between the Prime Minister and the TPI Federation and a letter from the Prime Minister to the Federation in April 2019 in which he acknowledged they had a compelling case for compensation. 

“Given the Government commissioned this review on the eve of the election, it looks like it was just another example of them trying to placate veterans and kick the can down the road.

“More than 18 months on and Australia’s 28,000 TPI veterans are still waiting.

“What’s more, we know from Senate Estimates that Scott Morrison received the review report at the end of August last year, so he’s been sitting on it for more than a year now.

“This is a clear breach of trust and another broken promise from the Liberals and Nationals.

“The Prime Minister needs to immediately release the TPI review to provide certainty for our veterans.

“In June this year, the TPI Federation applied to receive the review under Freedom of Information, but was told it had been classified ‘Cabinet-in-Confidence’ and would not be released.

“This is a disgrace and shows just how addicted to secrecy this Prime Minister and his government are.

“Our TPI veterans deserve to know what the Government’s plans are when it comes to their pensions and other benefits, and not continue to be left in the dark.

“It just goes to show this is a Government that is there for the announcement and photo op, but never there for the delivery and follow up.

“The Government needs to show faith with veterans and their families and release the TPI review,” Mr Neumann said.