Greens Veterans’ Affairs spokesperson senator David Shoebridge has defended his decision to stop pursuing an extension of the Gold Card for the Nashos of 1965 to 1972.
Despite committing to push the case in federal parliament, he says it is no longer viable given Nasho Fair Go has withdrawn support for the proposal.
“One of the key things is that the Nashos’ demands themselves have changed,” senator Shoebridge said.
“We’re led by the representations we get from the former National Service folk, and as a result of that we didn’t progress with the bill.
“But what we have done, and what we continue to do is raise their very legitimate claims, including in budget estimates.”
~~ Listen back to senator Shoebridge’s full interview in Ep8 – The bloody thing is glacial ~~
- In short: In 2022, senator Shoebridge promised to table a draft bill aimed at extending the Gold Card to the Nashos of 1965-97.
- He says the idea is no longer viable given Nasho Fair Go changed its plans.
- Nasho Fair Go stopped its Gold Card campaign after the DVA dismissed the idea.
- What’s next? Nasho Fair Go will pursue private medical and dental cover for its members.
Nasho Fair Go built its campaign around securing the Gold Card as reparation for damages of conscription.
Senator Shoebridge was one of the first politicians to publicly support the campaign and drafted a bill to try and make it happen.
In December 2022, he told The Men Australia Forgot podcast (Episode 3 – Making friends in high places) it was a “straightforward” exercise and that he would present the draft legislation to parliament in early 2023.
Around this time, Nasho Fair Go was forced to drop the plan.
The association’s President Geoff Parkes says it became increasingly evident that it was an unrealistic target due to public and political pressure, prompting them to pursue private medical and dental cover instead.
“Basically, we need private medical and dental health without excesses, so that when we need new knees [or other service-related injuries] that we don’t have to go on a two-year waiting list,” he said.
Read more about Nasho Fair Go’s decision to axe its plans for the Gold Card.