25 May 2008

RSA Receives $1m for Welfare Support

The RNZRSA welcomes the announcement in the budget of $1m in 2008/09 for its welfare support programme for veterans and their families.

“This funding will go a long way to support our welfare structure and so that the hundreds of local RSA Welfare Officers may deliver support services to our nation’s veterans and their families,” said National President Robin Klitscher.

“We are grateful for the Government’s support for Point Five of our published Welfare Manifesto. It also confirms that the outcomes of the Viet Nam veterans’ MOU spread much wider than Viet Nam veterans alone, to affect all veterans. We are particularly pleased that the Government takes our concerns seriously; and we also acknowledge the interest of the Rt Hon Winston Peters in these matters”.

The $1m will be used to support mainly volunteer Welfare Officers with the rising cost of delivering support services to veterans, such as home and hospital visiting, war pensions advice and general advocacy on their behalf.

“This money has nothing to do with the annual Poppy Day appeal that so many New Zealanders support so generously,” said Mr Klitscher. “Such donations are spent wholly in the community in which they are gathered.”

“Under changes announced last month, the RSA and the Defence Force (and Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand) are forging a renewed partnership for the efficient and effective delivery of official welfare entitlements to veterans and their families. This will put the RSA “in the shoes of Government” in providing the necessary outreach to communities. There will be administrative and training costs in a different scale from before. As is the case with other NGOs, that is what the new funding will be used for.”

“This is a significant announcement that will enable us to develop a 21st Century welfare support service,” said Mr Klitscher.

“It is a great day for the RSA but most importantly for the veterans and ex-services community”.

Contact:

Dr Stephen Clarke
RNZRSA Public Relations
0273 645687