Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Defence. Will the minister please update the House on support the government is providing for our defence members, both at home and on operations?

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Solomon for her question and for all her work on behalf of the 4,600 ADF personnel and their families up north. I think we all understand that the government has the greatest respect for our fighting men and women, as does our nation. We understand the pressures that our people are under, especially their families. Their work is unique and it is crucial to the security of our nation. The increased burden being placed on our ADF members and their families as a result of the increased tempo of operations will continue for some time, and the Minister for Defence's discussion before about preparing troops to deploy to Iraq underscores this point well.

Due to these circumstances, and, of course, the vigorous representation by our colleagues, many of whom the Prime Minister named in person just before, the government decided to increase the wage offer for our people to two per cent per annum.

Mr Abbott interjecting—

The Prime Minister thinks he has forgotten the member for Macquarie, who has done an outstanding job as well. The decision will be clearly accommodated by efficiencies identified through the first principles review. As noted by the Prime Minister, this keeps ADF pay above the inflation rate, currently at 1.7 per cent and forecast to reduce. In making today's decision, the government has listened to the concerns of the Defence community, the veterans community, the nation at large and, of course, many of our people.

Those on this side of the House have a proud record of achievement when it comes to supporting Defence, our people in general and their families. Earlier this year, of course, we announced free ADF health care for our people. Under this initiative, families will get free ADF visits to GPs and up to $400 per dependant for allied health services like physiotherapy. Over 82½ thousand allied health and GP consultations have already occurred. We have announced the arts program, a nation-first trial to help the wounded, injured and ill through creative arts. We have streamlined post-separation health examinations. We have implemented a full electronic health record.

We have restarted the gap year—I wonder who stopped that. We have reindexed DFRDB pensions—I wonder who would not do that. We have commenced a significant program to widen the cultural and linguistic diversity of the ADF to ensure a strong recruitment base and, of course, greater effectiveness. We have continued the good work started by those opposite under Project Suakin and, of course, we will widen the flexibility within that through flexible ADF super, which is the logical next step. We have delivered on our commitment to drive the budget towards two per cent of GDP, something those opposite failed to do, dropping it down to the lowest levels since '38. We have held our commitment of no cuts after those opposite cut $16 billion to Defence.

We are building on all the good work that has been done to strengthen our Defence Force, and today's announcement of a two per cent increase to ADF pay is recognising the unique nature of those who serve us.