House debates

Monday, 14 July 2014

Private Members' Business

Australian Defence Force

11:55 am

Photo of Jane PrenticeJane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion moved by my colleague the member for Brisbane. The coalition has a long history of supporting and bolstering the Australian Defence Force. It is one of our core policies. The Abbott coalition government is in fact increasing defence spending, improving defence capability and providing better support for current and past defence personnel.

With Gallipoli Barracks in my electorate of Ryan and with many of the defence personnel as constituents, I know how the life of defence families, with routine postings every three years, is constantly disrupted. It is important that we acknowledge the vital and sometimes difficult pressures placed on defence families who support their uniformed loved ones.

The Assistant Minister for Defence's announcement about the government's initiative to provide dependants of ADF members around Australia with free basic medical services was warmly welcomed by my residents. Under the government's national program, every dependant of full-time ADF members and reservists on continuous full-time service will be eligible no matter where they live in Australia. Each eligible ADF dependant will be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses when visiting their local general practitioner and, in addition, may claim up to $400 per year for allied health services such as physiotherapy, dentistry and mental health support.

I have spoken many times in this place about the importance of the coalition's promise to our veterans to fairly index the DFRDB and DFRB. We promised prior to the 2010 election to give veterans a fair go. We even pushed for it while in opposition and the Labor government refused. It refused to give our veterans the respect they deserve for putting their lives on the line to fight for our freedom and our rights.

So we took the policy of fair indexation to the 2013 election. On winning government, we quickly delivered on our promise and I am proud to stand on this side of the chamber today knowing that thousands of veterans on the DFRDB and DFRB are now receiving a fairly indexed pension. Since 1 July we have received numerous calls and emails from retired defence personnel very pleased to now receive a fairer dollar amount each week to help ease their cost-of-living pressures.

The Suakin workforce reform intends to introduce a range of full-time, part-time and casual employment categories that will offer ADF members more options and more employment flexibility as their circumstances change. The reform aims to improve the ADF's ability to respond to current and future workforce challenges, as well as changes in the security environment and the economy, by giving it a more flexible workforce structure. After a considerable amount of research and consultation with both permanent and reserve ADF members, the coalition government has learnt that there is substantial capacity and willingness among reservists to contribute more than they do at present, while the permanent ADF workforce aspires to greater career flexibility.

The Suakin reforms focus on retaining a trained, experienced and highly skilled workforce. This aim is vital to a sustainable, affordable and deployable people capability. ADF personnel living in my electorate, based at the Gallipoli Barracks within Ryan, have commended these reforms. The outcome will be a better engaged ADF workforce and is therefore an excellent outcome for the nation. While the ADF expects to have the framework for the service model in place this year, it is anticipated that it will take a number of years for it to reach a fully mature operating state. I again commend the proactive action of this coalition government and I look forward to seeing the benefits of the Suakin reforms realised.

As someone who has visited our defence facilities in Darwin on a number of occasions, I was pleased to hear of the Assistant Minister for Defence's recent announcement of the Top End defence housing strategy, which will deliver more high-quality housing for defence members while also delivering more land for residential developments that will benefit the general community. The government's plan will deliver an additional 800 houses for defence members and their families and, importantly, more than 1,500 houses for the general public in Darwin. I know my colleague the member for Solomon also welcomes this decision.

As someone whose family has been actively involved in the Australian Defence Force since Federation I am proud to stand on this side of the chamber where I can continue to speak about the positive policies the coalition has for a strong Defence Force and the support we give to current and veteran ADF personnel and their families. I commend this motion to the House.

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