Parliament House Canberra ACT 2602
Telephone 02 6277 7820 Facsimile 02 6273 4140
The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
VA011
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
VETERANS’ AND WAR WIDOWS’ PENSIONS INCREASED
Indexation will deliver Veteran and War Widow pensioners up to an extra $14.10 a fortnight,
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Alan Griffin announced today. Some 365,000 veterans, their
partners and war widows will benefit.
Minister Griffin said pensions will increase from 20 March, paid from pension day 26 March.
“For the first time, the Special Rate (TPI) Pension is more than $1,000 a fortnight at $1,011.90,”
Mr Griffin said.
The increases are based on a movement of 0.9 per cent in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and
a top-up of $2.60 per fortnight to bring the single Service Pension rate to 25 per cent of Male
Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE). All disability pensions are indexed by reference to
both CPI and MTAWE. This resulted in a 1.4 per cent increase.
Pension
Old fortnightly rate
New fortnightly rate
Special Rate (TPI) Pension/
MRCA Special Rate Disability
Pension
$997.80
$1,011.90
Extreme Disablement
Adjustment
$550.70
$558.50
100 per cent General Rate of
Disability Pension
$354.50
$359.50
Intermediate Rate Disability
Pension
$677.00
$686.60
Service Pension – single
$562.10
$569.80
Service Pension – couples
$469.50 each. $939.00 couple
$475.90 each. $951.80 couple
War Widows/ers Pension
$598.70
$607.00
Income Support Supplement
$167.80
$170.20
For more information on the new pension rates visit www.dva.gov.au or call 133 254.
Media inquiries only: Laura Ryan 0437 863 109
The VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a
week on 1800 011 046.
To receive the Minister’s media releases automatically by email subscribe at minister.dva.gov.au/subscribe.htm
NEWS 
