Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is poignant that I stand to give a speech on the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 2) Bill of 2018. Before I address the six different schedules to the bill in more granular detail, there are a couple of points I want to make. Firstly, I used to make the mistake of thinking that veterans are elderly men or women who are proudly paraded through the streets of this nation's capital and provincial cities in Jeeps on Anzac Day. But I am now becoming more and more familiar with veterans under the age of 30 who have returned from conflict, for whom, of course, these provisions are also made.

The other thing I'd like to just quickly address is some of the amazing work that's being done by some of my innovative RSL groups throughout the electorate of Wright. There is no more poignant an example than that of Errol Guilfoyle, President of the Beaudesert RSL, and his advocacy team, who are discovering new ways to stretch the counselling services of the RSL more widely to communities throughout the electorate. The RSL have shown entrepreneurial flair. They've actually put together a caravan, which they take on the road, that they use for fundraisers and as an outreach office, which works in conjunction and over the top of the six schedules that I will speak to in more granular detail. Steve Monteath is the vice-president, and was at the helm of the design and construction of the caravan, which is pulled around the region and has been on display. David Kassulke from AJ Bush was the manufacturer. David does an enormous amount of work for the community. He's a member of the chamber of commerce in our community, and he had Mark King from his workforce take point on construction. I can assure you that, if there are any other RSL organisations around the country looking to replicate this amazing work so that outreach can be undertaken, AJ Bush in Beaudesert would happily roll out another 100 or 200 of these caravans to be used for exactly the same purpose—supporting our veterans community. Tony Paddock did an amazing job in branding it in the RSL colours, and Dr Robbie Maher contributed to it. The federal government kicked in $21,000 for that initiative.

This government continues to honour its strong commitment to veterans and the veterans community by extending a range of services to veterans and their families—to give them the support that they not only need but deserve.

The Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 2) Bill contains six schedules, all important schedules which support our veterans and their existing families. Schedule 1 is all about the removal of barriers to the rehabilitation of veterans who suffer as a result of service related physical and mental health conditions. These measures will provide former members of the Australian Defence Force with incapacity payments at 100 per cent of their normal weekly earnings when they are studying, as opposed to the current rate, which is 75 per cent. I don't think anyone would begrudge someone that, when they were either learning or earning, trying to rehabilitate and re-enter the workforce.

Schedule 2 is all about preventing veteran suicide and improving the mental health services available for veterans. For veterans who have been discharged from hospital following an attempted suicide or suicide crisis, or who may be at risk of suicide because of mental health issues, this measure will provide services to support veterans' mental health, including access to government and non-government treatment, and services that will help reduce the risk of suicide and enhance their quality of life. The mental health integrity that we as a government are focused on is a sleeping giant in the community.

Schedule 3 supports veterans' families by giving partners more time to choose whether to receive compensation payments resulting from their partner's death as a weekly payment, a lump sum or a mixture of both. It's all about flexibility for families in a difficult time, empowering them to decide how they'd like to receive their compensation, if, regretfully, that ever happens.

Schedule 4 is another measure which supports veterans' families, by extending eligibility for the Long Tan Bursary scheme to the grandchildren of any Australian Vietnam veteran. This enables grandchildren of veterans to access the bursary to undertake post-secondary education, and it is an important recognition of the contribution that Vietnam veterans have made to Australia.

Schedule 5 rightly recognises serving on special submarine operations between 1 January 1978 and 31 December 1992 as operational service. This will ensure the classified nature of special operations does not hinder access by those veterans to benefit entitlements available to those with operational service. That has always been a contentious point, and I'm glad to see that was introduced as a schedule to give relief to those submarine men and women.

Schedule 6—too often veterans struggle to wade through the masses of paperwork to make claims for compensation. Presently, the claim must be made in writing, distinct from a claim of liability. This measure will enable veterans seeking compensation under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 to lodge a claim for compensation orally. The amendments will mean a veteran will be asked during a needs-assessment telephone call whether they want to make a claim for compensation, and their oral statement will be treated as a valid claim under the act, making it easier for veterans to engage with the department.

This compensation bill demonstrates that the government has listened to the concerns and frustrations of veterans and their families. We are committed to putting them first and at the centre of the decisions we make, not only as a government but from both sides of the House. Veterans have given so much to this country. They have fought and served to protect our great nation, our freedoms and our way of life. That's why this government is strongly supporting veterans not only in my electorate of Wright but right across the entire nation, extending real support to veterans and their families, giving them the services that they need and deserve.

I want to close my commentary by again offering an accolade to the RSL in Beaudesert, where we have an advocacy officer, Tom—I won't share his last name—who's 25 and a returned serviceman himself. In communications with him recently, I asked him what his initial challenges were. He said that returned veterans of his age group that are returning from active service in operational theatres around the world find that there's a disconnect between the younger generation and the RSLs, who, for all intents and purposes, are perceived as a more ageing population. They find it hard to connect. Tom is doing an amazing job, building those personal relationships, because he has just come back from modern warfare. He understands the equipment that they're using. He has been trained and has just returned from an environment where he may know some of the chains of command, some of the personalities. The entrepreneurial trailer which allows the RSL to have even wider outreach for advocacy is a vehicle that will assist Tom in reaching those modern veterans who don't believe the RSL is a place that they can land.

Can I assure all Australians that this government and those on the other side of the House put our hands on our hearts, and we do try to provide an environment so that no-one is left behind. I commend this bill to the House.

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