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Posted: 2017-06-22 14:04:51

Updated June 23, 2017 11:00:20

Injured veterans say they stand to lose hundreds of dollars per month under pending tax changes to disability support payments.

From July 1 a complex superannuation overhaul takes effect, closing an existing loophole and meaning some military compensation is taxed at a higher rate.

Veterans' advocates warn the move could push already vulnerable former servicemen and women to breaking point.

"If they're serious about veterans' suicide and veterans' mental health, they really, really need to stop doing this," former soldier and veterans' campaigner Shane Walker said.

"It is pushing blokes and females below the poverty line and it's causing them so much stress and anxiety contributing to the decline in their health."

The Government said fewer than 400 veterans were using the loophole and only started doing so when it was announced last year it would be shut down.

"If there is a loophole we need to close those down," Veterans' Affairs Minister Dan Tehan said.

"There weren't [any] veterans who were using this loophole when it was announced we were going to close it, now there's 390 who are using it but it was made very clear last year that that's what we would be doing."

The minister said Australian taxpayers provided very generous support to veterans and the ex-services community.

"We pay nearly $12 billion a year to look after our veterans' welfare and we have to make sure that we're making sure the money goes to the right places," Mr Tehan said.

Tara Young, who was medically discharged from the Royal Australian Air Force in 2008, is one of hundreds of veterans growing anxious about next month's changes.

"I will be losing over $400 a fortnight, which is basically rent and all that sort of stuff, and loans and things. So definitely impacts me adversely," she said.

From next month, the Iraq war veteran fears she may be forced to turn to charity for help.

"As a veteran who went to war, it's kind of offensive to me," she said.

"I just feel like I shouldn't have to be using charities, I should be getting looked after because my injury is service-related."

Topics: veterans, defence-and-national-security, government-and-politics, federal-government, tax, superannuation, business-economics-and-finance, australia

First posted June 23, 2017 00:04:51

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