FED: PM vows no SAS troop will suffer due to pay bungle
24 Feb 2009 5:29 PM
Subject: FED: PM vows no SAS troop will suffer due to pay bungle FED: PM vows no SAS troop will suffer due to pay bungle
The prime minister says the government will fix a bungle that has seen SAS troops' pay docked.
During a fiery question time debate on the issue .. opposition defence personnel spokesman BOB BALDWIN was thrown out of parliament for calling Defence Minister JOEL FITZGIBBON "gutless".
SAS members have reportedly been threatened with disciplinary action and possible expulsion from their unit if they complain about an army pay mistake .. that could see them lose tens-of-thousands of dollars.
SAS soldiers returning from Afghanistan have been presented with debt recovery action for what's been deemed overpayments of allowances of up to 50-thousand dollars each.
KEVIN RUDD's told parliament today .. none of the troops will be worse off as a result of the mix-up.
Mr FITZGIBBON's refused to answer Mr BALDWIN's query about how many SAS members have been sacked or disciplined for questioning debt repayments.
He says as soon as he became aware of the problem he immediately directed Defence to suspend recovery action.
AAP RTV jcd/kms/tm
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FED: PM vows no SAS troop will suffer due to pay bungle