A GOVERNMENT department says it would have cost more not to send a letter to a war veteran telling him of a one cent pension pay rise than it did to actually send it.

The Cairns Post yesterday revealed Innisfail retiree Bob Jones was gobsmacked when he received a notification from the Department of Veteran Affairs informing him of the measly increase.

The increase was part of a regular "deeming re-adjustment" sent to every pensioner in Australia.

A Veterans Affairs Department spokeswoman said Mr Jones was a unique case among thousands of benefit recipients.

"It would have cost more money not to send it to him," the spokeswoman said.

"It (Bob Jones) is a unique case. Most people affected by deeming don't have any other income.

"Others have full pension and to remove a small number from the issue would cost more. It really is not something we could fix."

Mr Jones, who was involved in the evacuation of Saigon during the Vietnam war, retired from the airforce in 1975.

The widower could see the lighter side of the matter, telling his children not to fight over the increase in their
inheritance.

The story was the most commented on by cairns.com.au readers yesterday.

"How much money is wasted in postage and paper?" Sam wrote.

"I'm sure they have everyone's details and it would have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars if they had just electronically deposited the money in everyone's account."

Tony of Brisbane wrote that it was "bureaucracy gone mad".

"How much did it cost to compose, type, print and then send the letter out? A bit more than one cent I bet."

Share this article