Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

No amount of interjections, and no matter how sanctimonious the member for Shortland can be, can change the simple fact that there are more people of concern, of interest and able to benefit from this measure than the Labor Party seems to appreciate. Labor wants it only for veterans. Shame on Labor.

The government has put forward a proposal that takes account of all the participants in the tests, not solely those members of the Australian Defence Force. Labor should hang their heads in shame for placing those civilian, public servant and contractor participants out on a limb by announcing that they do not deserve to be part of this package. It is an abomination. I was completely appalled to hear the Labor members who have spoken on this bill call for this proposal to be only about veterans. What a mistake. What a shame. Labor have hung them out to dry.

The bill does have a broader reach and that is why we are using the term ‘participants’. Treatment will be provided through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to eligible persons under the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Bill 2006. They will have access to extensive healthcare services, including GP services, hospital care and pharmaceutical benefits—not just the ADF personnel; the civilians, the contractors and the public servants who Labor has hung out to dry in its contribution here today.

Persons eligible under the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Bill 2006 will also be entitled to claim travelling expenses for costs incurred in receiving treatment for cancer—again, a point that the member for Shortland got woefully wrong. It does cover travel. Had she been sufficiently interested, she would have heard the member for Bruce laud that measure in his contribution. But then the member for Shortland condemned the bill for not actually covering something it does cover and which has been recognised by one of her colleagues.

Furthermore, the Australian nuclear test participants will have continued access to existing statutory workers compensation schemes such as the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 and the administrative scheme administered by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. So the machinery for compensation is already in place. I encourage any of the participants—not just the veterans but those we are also concerned about who were party to these processes those many years ago—who feel they have health conditions that are linked to their participation and service at these tests to lodge claims. There are mechanisms already available for compensation—again, something that seems to be conveniently overlooked by Labor members or something that seems to be part of the appalling politicisation of this issue, and I will come to that point shortly.

These bills will assist in addressing the health needs of the military and civilian personnel who participated in the British nuclear tests. These bills demonstrate this government’s sincere commitment to this group of Australians. As part of the government’s response to the Clarke report, the government made a commitment to respond positively to the needs of those affected by the British nuclear tests in Australia after the report was finalised. That commitment is being met, honoured and fulfilled. Although the study did not show an association between the elevated cancer rate and radiation exposure, the government has decided to provide non-liability healthcare treatment.

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