Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker, apologies. In relation to the bill, which is the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2016, perhaps the most significant reforms in this bill relate to increasing access to treatment for mental health disorders, which, thanks to the good work of support and advocacy services in this field, the Australian community is having a growing understanding about.

Around 150,000 veterans with service related disabilities are being supported by the Department of Veterans' Affairs and of these almost 50,000 have an accepted mental health disorder. This means that nearly a third of service related disabilities that are supported by the DVA are accepted mental health disorders. Increasing access to treatment for these disorders is a very good thing. Common conditions include anxiety disorder, depression, stress disorder and alcohol dependence. The stigma of mental health disorders has long been at issue in the greater community, but it can be an even greater challenge to deal with in the military, where Defence Force personnel are trained with a high degree of discipline, encouraged to deal with adversity and to get on with the sometimes dangerous task at hand.

In 2010, the ADF mental health prevalence and wellbeing study, which covered nearly half of all ADF members, found that within a 12-month period almost 18 per cent had sought help for stress or emotional, mental health or family problems. More than 27 per cent were concerned that reporting a mental disorder might result in them being treated differently. Almost 27 per cent of personnel feared their career might be harmed, and almost 37 per cent worried that reporting a mental health condition might reduce their opportunities for future deployment. The study found that personnel who were not deployed had the same rate of mental health disorders as those who had been deployed. That may say something about the challenges of military life quite apart from the challenges of active service. Sadly, the number of ADF members contemplating or planning suicide was found to be double the rate of the general population.

This bill seeks to remove delays and impediments for tens of thousands of eligible current and former members of the Australian defence forces by helping them secure early intervention and treatment for a range of mental health conditions. We know that experts point out that early intervention in mental health conditions result in much more effective treatment and better outcomes.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a well-known condition facing many veterans, especially but not limited to those who have seen active service in recent theatres like Iraq and Afghanistan. Previously, Defence Force members were required to have either three years of continuous service or operational service and then lodge an application under the Veterans' Entitlements Act, and have a diagnosis confirmed to then be able to access immediate, non-liability health care. These rules meant that they were denied early treatment and the chance for improved health outcomes. It makes no sense to treat people who suffer the same conditions differently. After all, the impact of PTSD on the individual does not alter in scale according to their particular service record. Again, it just makes sense to treat patients with the same level of compassion.

This change will benefit those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and a range of other conditions, including depression disorder, anxiety disorder, alcoholism and substance abuse. It will see an estimated 67,000 additional current and former ADF members become eligible for non-liability health care.

At this point, I would like to acknowledge the advocacy of an old friend, Jason Parrish, a long-time Army reservist of many years who has regularly brought to my attention this unfair restriction on gaining help by virtue of time of service. I hope the sensible changes supported by Labor are welcomed by Jason and his comrades in arms in the West.

Importantly, this bill also helps victims of abuse in the ADF who have found themselves ineligible because of the period of service in which they served. The issue of abuse—sexual, physical or psychological—has been a stain on our military. This provision goes some way to further addressing this issue by demonstrating compassion and justice to those victims. In relation to this challenging time in our Defence Force, I commend the actions of my friend the Hon. Stephen Smith who as defence minister did so much to shine a light on practices of bullying and assault. Without confronting this behaviour, reform in our Defence Force would have been impossible. In signs of great progress, our military have acknowledged the shortcomings in their culture and have done good things and worked very hard to ensure that a culture exists that meets the expectations of the community, from which Defence Force members come and to which they return following their service.

The other reform in this bill aligns the cut-off age for incapacity payments to the increased pension age. Again, this is a relatively small and routine change that benefits only a particular number of Australians each year, but it is a big and important change for the individuals concerned who will benefit from it. The stories of the brave women and men who have defended our country and ideals of Western liberal democracy around the world are part of the fabric of Australian culture. Our soldiers, sailors and aircrew have sacrificed so much, up to and including their lives. It is a debt we can never fully repay.

With this bill we can at least show our appreciation to both current and former ADF members. With it we can show understanding to those families who support both current and former Australian Defence Force members through thick and thin. I understand that the total financial cost of all of these changes to Australian taxpayers is estimated at just under $44 million by 30 June 2020. I am sure the Australian people would not baulk at this investment for the welfare of our current service personnel.

It has been my pleasure to speak on this very important bill today. I want to thank the shadow minister for veterans affairs, the Hon. Amanda Rishworth, for so eloquently putting the opposition's position and, indeed, I thank all speakers for their valuable contribution and support of this legislation. It is always heartening and powerful to see what can be achieved in this place when both sides of the corridor work together, and this has been one of those times.

It has been particularly heartening for me, the daughter and granddaughter and sister of service men, and a friend and colleague of those who have served, to speak on this bill today. The treatment of our service men and women and veterans will always be a priority for the Labor Party. With HMAS Stirling on Garden Island, in my electorate, I am committed to helping those who serve as best I can and I am committed to their families. It was a particularly poignant moment last Sunday when we saw HMAS Arunta slowly drift away from the docks of HMAS Stirling; a very moving moment. One can only guess what the emotions and feelings were amongst the families and service people going off to do their very hard and dangerous job.

I look forward to continuing to work cooperatively over this term of parliament to explore what more we can do for those who are prepared to serve this country and defend it when called upon to do so.

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