Vets fight for their rights

Richard Mead and his fellow vets are anxious about their entitlements under a new law. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Richard Gilbert Mead is a true patriot. But he and his colleagues are feeling betrayed and undervalued.

'I am proud of my service to this country.”

As a young naval rating, Richard 'did his bit” to repel the communist insurgency on the Malay Peninsula during three tours of duty in that long-running 'emergency” as they euphemistically called it.

'And I am proud to have helped New Zealand retain its democratic rights and freedoms.” There's still the staunch and loyal serviceman lurking there after all these years later.

Richard insists this story is not just about him: 'It's about all vets.”

Richard and his mates probably deserve to feel they have our gratitude and respect. But he says time and politics have eroded that. The rules are changing, they feel their pensions and entitlements are under siege and they're anxious.

Richard doesn't want to be singled out but his case is typical. Like many servicemen, he has slowly fallen casualty to that conflict. You could say 50 years later the communists got him, but not with bullets or bombs.

'Deafness, tinnitus, chronic insomnia”. Richard's itemising his ailments. 'Osteoarthritis of the knees and left shoulder, solar keratosis and skin cancer.”

There's enough wrong to give Richard a combined disability rating of 115 per cent. What ails him would swell a medical text book.

'Osteoarthritis of the left hip, hands, finger joints and feet, osteoarthritis of the right shoulder and arthritis of the right hip.”

The tinnitus is so loud it wakes him.

It took 20 or 30 years after he joined the Navy for the disabilities to manifest. 'Specialist advice is they're all service related.”

Now, despite his health, this 68-year-old president of the Royal NZ Naval Association has been forced back onto a war footing after drawing ‘friendly fire' from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

'The government is being sneaky,” accuses Richard.

That's because it's changing how it administers the allowances, entitlements and concessions for the veterens.

'It's about all war veterans. And many of us are feeling vulnerable.”

Until now veterans like Richard have been sheltered by the 1954 War Pensions Act – it gives them access to health, welfare and financial assistance. Entitlements such as Richard's hearing aids – his hearing was damaged by the Otago's 25mm Bushmaster armament and other shipboard noise.

'No ear muffs. Before ACC the Navy was a shocking employer. No sunglasses or sunscreen, even in the tropics.”

The allowances also provide palliative care for Richard's wheelchair-bound friend in Auckland, prescriptions, doctor's appointments, surgery for Richard's skin cancers, travel allowances and lawn and garden services. They're allowances which offer comfort and support to those damaged in the service of their country.

But the legislation has been completely rewritten into something called the Veterans Support Act 2014.

'And it takes away our rights, our basic freedom of choice in consulting whoever we please about our problems.”

For example Richard's friend in Auckland – he's been receiving palliative treatment from one carer for a number of years. ”They have a wonderful rapport and she treats him with appropriate dignity and kindness.”

But under the new plan he will be re-assessed and his care tendered out. 'He won't know who his helper is from week to week and he won't get to choose.”

He cites other examples, like the 82-year-old vet who's been having service related skin cancers removed by the same specialist for 14 years.

'The specialist knows him and understands his problems.”

Richard understands the old bloke will end up on the public waiting list. 'He's in his dotage. Imagine the stress and anguish this is creating for these old guys.”

And if you get a prescription 'you will have to go to a designated chemist whether its 100m or 30km away. It's a bloody nonsense and an abuse of powers.”

But if the government's streamlining the system to make it more workable, more affordable and to accommodate a new generation of vets with different needs, isn't that a reasonable thing?

'They will be taking the cheapest options and saving the taxpayer money. That's not a bad thing but it has to be weighed against what's best for individual ex-servicemen.”

Veterans' Affairs agrees – yes, the Support Act 2014 will save money. But savings achieved from the competitive pricing of new support contracts will be pumped back into more services to more veterans than ever before.

A statement from the department reassures vets there will be no reduction in pensions and it 'remains committed to ensuring veterans have access to the high-quality services they need and deserve”.

Richard and the vets are sceptical. 'They promised they would look after us. But I am a suspicious person.”

But Veterans' Affairs says there will be an additional $5.2 million funding allowing what it calls 'individualised wrap-around support for each eligible veteran”.

It promises treatments will be of a standard 'generally accepted in New Zealand and provided by a qualified treatment provider”. Also lawn mowing, gardening and pharmaceuticals will be provided by 'reliable, trusted and skilled professionals”.

The RSA has chimed in in support of Veterans Affairs. It had significant input in to the Support Act and believed it was 'beneficial” for vets.

The RSA accepts changes 'can be unsettling” but will continue to work in the best interests of vets.

Richard and his mates are listening but not believing.

'We worried about how this is going to pan out.”

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