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Russell Broadbent supports thousands struggling with COVID vaccine compensation due to strict criteria and unfair taxation

Over 140,000 Australians reported COVID vaccine reactions, yet many face barriers to compensation. Chris' case highlights delays, burdensome requirements, and unfair taxation, returning a third of his settlement to the government.

By news@gippsland - 6th February 2025 - Back to News

More than 140,000 Australians have logged adverse reactions to the not so safe and ineffective COVID vaccines on the TGA's database. But thousands of these Australians have been unable to access compensation due to the scheme's overly onerous requirements and very narrow eligibility criteria.

Russell Broadbent as he spoke in Parliament for thousands of Australians who struggle for COVID vaccine injury compensation, facing delays, strict criteria, and unfair taxation on settlements

Unfair compensation tax

People like Tracey, who's come to my office today and Bernice, Dirk, Jason, Jerry, Joel, Kara, Karen, Linn, Margaret, Michelle, Naomi, Orida, Rado and Sandra. But Chris, a 51-year-old father of two, was more fortunate - or at least he thought so. With the help of a lawyer - Chris navigated his way to secure compensation after suffering horrific life altering injuries from the Covid vaccine.

This process included 12 months compiling more than 1000 pages of documents and then a further 500 days for the claim to be assessed and settled! Chris' financial settlement is in the millions of dollars, compensating him for not just the short-term impacts of his injury, but also lost income, given he's unable to return to his career of 30 years. But Chris' horrific story doesn't end here.

It turns out his compensation will be subject to full taxation in the year that the payment is received. This means that around one third of his compensation will be lost in tax, and returned to the very same government that mandated these unsafe and un-trialled vaccines. In my opinion, this is cruel, callous and unconscionable behaviour by government agencies, and completely at odds with the intent of the compensation scheme.

Pictures from Russell Broadbent MP website.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com