Posted on 06/07/2006 7:04:09 PM PDT by naturalman1975
AUSTRALIAN peacekeepers in East Timor will be paid less than their counterparts in Iraq, because their mission isn't "warlike".
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson broke the news of the decision to troops during a lightning visit to Dili yesterday, and also told them they would get less prestigious medals.
Addressing a group of mostly 3RAR soldiers in a hangar at Dili's heliport, Dr Nelson said they would receive a basic tax-free daily allowance of $78. That compares with $150 a day for those serving in Iraq.
With field and seagoing allowances plus allowances for any dependant children, the maximum a soldier in East Timor would get was an extra $128 a day.
Australia has 1300 troops on the ground in East Timor.
Advertisement: Dr Nelson said the Australian Defence Force had a well-developed process for deciding conditions of service for troops overseas.
"The advice I received from the Australian Defence Force through the chief was that the deployment at this stage, although it is under constant review, is non-warlike," he said.
"We put it at the very top end of non-warlike.
"I know that some of you hearing this will be thinking perhaps you are bit disappointed."
Troops in Timor will receive the Australian Service medal rather than the Australian Active Service medal.
During his fleeting visit Dr Nelson met Australian commanders and East Timor's political leaders including President Xanana Gusmao, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta.
Meanwhile, Mr Alkatiri has agreed to allow an international investigation into the causes of the violence that has racked the fledgling country.
UN special envoy to East Timor Sukehiro Hasegawa yesterday said the inquiry could cover claims Mr Alkatiri was behind the May 25 massacre of 12 unarmed Timorese officers by renegade soldiers.
"The Prime Minister, he spoke to me. He's agreed to the investigations to be carried out," Mr Hasegawa said.
The Australian Federal Police is already investigating the massacre.
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