Veterans card/lapel pin/covenant officially launched
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The long-awaited and much talked about Veteran Card, lapel pin and covenant were officially launched last Sunday and will soon be distributed to all DVA-registered veterans as a practical demonstration of respect and recognition for their service.
CAPTION: Scenes from the official launch of the Veterans’ Covenant package, in Canberra.
Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel Darren Chester officially launched the Veteran Card, which gives Australian business owners the opportunity to practically demonstrate thanks and respect for those who have served Australia in military uniform.
“Australian Defence Force veterans will be able to access thousands of special discounts as businesses across the nation say ‘thank you for your service’,” Mr Chester said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians had a great deal of respect for those who served our nation in the uniforms of the Navy, Army and Air Force and, through the Veteran Card, veterans would have access to more than 10,000 offers from around 500 businesses, both over the counter and online.
“Much like the lapel pin gives everyday Australians the opportunity to recognise veterans and thank them for their service, the offers available through the veteran card allow the business community to show its thanks,” Mr Morrison said.
“The broader recognition package, which includes the Veterans Covenant, the lapel pin and card is a way each and every one of us, including the business community, can say to our veterans ‘thank you for your service’.”
More than 33,000 veterans and reservists have already applied and will begin receiving their covenant packs in coming days.
Mr Chester will launch the card at Pushys in Fyshwick this morning along with representatives from other participating businesses and Australian Partners of Defence – APOD – which is partnering with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to connect clients with the business community.
“Bringing corporate Australia on board will be a tangible benefit to the veteran community, with the card providing access to services and benefits for eligible veterans,” Mr Chester said.
“We are proud to be partnering with APOD — an organisation founded and run by veteran families for veteran families — to ensure veterans can easily find local businesses in their area that are showing that respect and recognition of their service.
“There are a wide range of businesses already participating, from retailers with hundreds of outlets Australia-wide through to veteran-owned and operated small businesses [including CONTACT, which received more than 400 new subscribers in the first two days, via its APOD listing, which is ‘TRENDING’ on the APOD web site].
“There is no set criteria for how businesses choose to show that respect and recognition, but I have no doubt we will see the numbers grow with more businesses supporting the covenant and veterans and their families have made.
“I encourage all businesses to get on board with the Australian Defence Veterans’ Covenant and show their respect and recognition for those who have served to defend our nation.”
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Team.. it’s a start. This will start the conversations. Uphill stomp absolutely… but it’s a start. Have faith and careful not to smash the concept before it’s given a chance to gain traction. There are many of us out here willing to give this new world of DVA a crack. Only way is up haha cos she can’t descend any lower ! Thanks to all for their service / if not served thanks for the support. Stay safe.
Underwhelmed sorry but why are veterans getting the covenant? The card I get but hey anyone that draws a pension or has a white card can always use it to proved they served ! If you don’t sign up to Vet Affairs you don’t get a card that doesn’t make you any more or less a veteran! The badge well most veterans can pick each other as they walk by and the majority of civilians really couldn’t care less I find. As for the Covenant shouldn’t every household in Australia get sent one isn’t the wording of it for our citizens te recite it at the appropriate times of the year? Another pat on the back and self applause for both sides of our current government. Sorry this is blatant feel good propaganda at best and at worst it’s a way for all parties to keep the cost of veterans payments to the very minimum! If the current parties on both sides of politics were so interested in pushing this propaganda then why isn’t there a 60 or 30 second add before the news every nite for a month or fortnight, why isn’t there adds in the paper or at billboards? The reason? The government is hoping to save a bit! How about looking at raising benefits to unfit or unwell veterans to the same percentage levels they were at prior to WW2 levels approximately by memory between 80 to 90% of the average male weekly earnings bring the cost of medications back to pre 1994 costs ie if a TPI totally free yes they were free before then ! Then they told us that they would be a flat fee of 50 cents a script and they would never go up any more really what are they this year $6.80 ? Oh and every year for the last five at least I pay about a grand extra in chemist fees so I’m positive their are others just like me out there! So here’s an idea for both sides of government now and into the future stop trying to fob off responsibilities to the private sector they already pay taxes two if the government of the day can’t afford to spend the same amount of money as they spend on defence on the injured or sick veterans then maybe they shouldn’t send us anywhere! Sorry for the spelling and grammar not to good at that anymore. No disrespect meant to any service man or women whether serving or retired I’ve just really had a gut full of this .
What a failure this is; there are no significant discounts that I can see.
That’s because most businesses don’t even know about this program . I spent quite a while going from business to business in Ipswich and Gatton Lowood and fernvale my family is scattered all over east and west coasts out of hundreds of businesses we have asked if they know about this covenant we have had less than fifty who have heard about it and zero that where participants in the scheme. One business in Ipswich asked me if they give ten percent off could they claim it back in tax ! I said I didn’t know they replied why should we give a discount for injured service people when they already paid taxes . A bit hard to argue the logic of that statement hey!