September 28, 2012

Army Reservists will no longer be paid to parade at commemorative events such as Anzac Day ceremonies.

Federal Member for Wide Bay Warren Truss today warned that the Federal Government’s cuts to the Australian Defence Force budget would have a severe impact on local ADF Reservists.

The funding cuts include:

  • Cuts to Reserve Training Days – the number of days Reservists can undertake paid duty has been cut by 10 to 35 per cent following on from a 10 per cent cut last year. This will leave Reservists with only 20 days paid training, when many studies have shown at least 28–32 days are required to be operationally effective.
  • Restricting access to ADF benefits – the reduction in the number of Reserve Training Days means that Reservists will lose access to health and housing benefits and awards.
  • No paid parade on Anzac Day – the Government prevents Reservists from being paid for attending Anzac Day and other commemorative occasions.
  • Cuts to Reserve Bands – the Government axed funding for the maintenance and replacement of instruments, with these costs now falling to local Service Associations.
  • Cuts to the ammunition available for Reservists on training exercises.

“On one hand the Government expects Reservists to do more of the heavy lifting, while savaging their budget with the other hand. The Reserve Forces are cheaper to operate than the full-time forces, so slashing the Reservists funding is a false economy,” Mr Truss said.

Australia’s Reserve Forces have provided more than 16,000 personnel to various operations, which amount to approximately 15 per cent of the Defence Force total.

“Reservists have supported local and overseas missions, providing disaster and humanitarian relief, sharing their skills, rebuilding communities, protecting people and securing freedom,” Mr Truss said.

“Some of the cost-cutting measures that are being implemented are a joke.

“For example, there were recent reports that some Reserve units have been forced to yell ‘bang, bang’ in training exercises because Labor’s budget cuts have cut their ammunition supplies.

“How can Reservists possibly be prepared for real life situations when the government treats them like children playing with toy soldiers?

“They do a terrific job in difficult and demanding circumstances and it is outrageous that the Gillard Labor Government has targeted Reservists this way.”’