Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

In summing up debate on this bill, I'd like to thank the opposition and all others in this House for their support of it. In particular, I'd like to thank the shadow minister for veterans' affairs, the member for New England, for his engagement on this bill and other legislative measures we've been bringing forward to support our veterans.

I also wish to thank the other members of this House for their contributions to the debate today. In fact, all members went through and highlighted the great benefits for veterans' families that this bill will provide. I'd like to thank, in particular, my assistant minister, the member for Kingsford Smith, and the member for Makin for their contributions in that regard. Members across the parliament also made the observation that, quite rightly, ensuring that government and parliament support our veterans should be a non-partisan matter. I would like to commend the member for Wright for his very brief support for this measure, and the entire House thanks him for the brevity of his comments; and appropriate they were.

I think one of the other key themes that was reflected by speakers on this bill was the importance of getting on with the job of providing these important benefits to our veterans and their families. A number of members referred to this government's commitment to Veterans' and Families' Hubs, which we took to the election, and we are very happy to be moving forward with that commitment as we described it in the election. That is an important thing that we are doing, and I think the reflections that they made about some alternative locations for those hubs in the future also reflects the lack of detailed commitment from the previous government to delivering on that. That is something that I understand they're unhappy about, but I commend them for their advocacy for their communities of course.

The member for Fisher also referred to the great Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program and how that affords those of us in this House who have not served in our Defence Force an opportunity to engage with our defence forces across ranks and in various theatres and modes of operation. I was fortunate enough to bunk with the member for Fisher on our trip to Afghanistan. Among the many trips that I've participated in with the ADFPP—as I know he and many other members in this House have as well—it certainly was a hugely eye-opening opportunity for me and a great opportunity to engage one-on-one and with groups of our defence forces across different ranks, in different theatres and in different operations. I really do encourage members to take up such an opportunity, should that present itself to them through that program. It's very important.

A number of members also referred to the great defence personnel and veteran population that they have in their electorates—owing to the bases, sometimes numerous that they have there—and the great relationship that they have with their veteran population as a consequence. I think that is a very good thing, and I encourage members to engage with their bases as well. I do share with the member for Mackellar her concern about withdrawal of support from her local RSL club for one of the local veteran support services in her electorate. That is a concerning development because we do want to see our veteran support services supported and funded where possible.

I commend the member for Bass for her observations about the need to ensure that these local Veterans' and Families' Hubs are based on local knowledge and meet the local needs. That's why these hubs, as they roll out and have rolled out across the country, do vary in their operating models, because they are about meeting the needs of local veterans and families where they are—the supports that they require—and working with local community organisations to deliver those supports as well. I understand the issues that she has raised about the lack of availability of psychiatrists, particularly for diagnosis, and I understand this is an issue we need to look into further to ensure that veterans are getting the services that they need.

I very much commend the member for Menzies for his contribution, not just as a serving member but also as the co-chair of the parliamentary friends of veterans, an organisation within this parliament that I look forward to having frequent and ongoing engagement with. I commend him as a former director of the Law Council of Australia for referring to the Law Council of Australia's principles of the rule of law. It is important that our laws are readily known and available. I think that was a pretty erudite observation by him, but I don't think that could be said of our current suite of veterans' entitlements legislation. At the moment, just one of them comprises 170 pages of definitions before we actually get to the content of those entitlement provisions. I pay tribute to him for honouring his comrades in his speech earlier.

With that, I want to make the observation that making sure that our defence personnel, veterans and their families are well supported and looked after during service and after as they transition from the Australian Defence Force is an important task and responsibility of government. That's something that has been observed by all of the speakers today. Families play a pivotal role in supporting our current serving Australian Defence Force personnel and veterans. The nature of military life is unique, and families are also deeply affected by military service. As one individual said while giving evidence of her own personal experience to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide:

A soldier may receive the pay cheque, only in the Australian Defence Force the whole family is employed by the Government. It’s our family lifestyle, our legacy.

For most veterans' families, military service is largely a positive experience. However, some may need support to manage challenging life circumstances, such as mental or physical health episodes or sudden significant events such as the loss of employment.

That is why it's disappointing that we didn't see the legislation pass in its previous incarnation during the last parliament. This legislation now, though, goes further than what was previously proposed. It will enhance the existing program by expanding services available to the families of veterans receiving compensation through DVA or who have died in service when that family is experiencing crisis and allows families greater choice in how they use those services. It will better equip working-age families to adjust to new or challenging life circumstances when they occur and also in the future.

This legislation will better improve support for families who are bereaved and those who are in crisis, no matter the nature of that crisis. We want to ensure supports are wrapped around families when they are needed and quickly. While it is not a crisis service, it will allow families who have experienced crisis to access intensive support to adjust to new or challenging life circumstances, complementing the other Department of Veterans' Affairs or government services. This initiative will provide at-risk veteran families with access to a range of services that will meet their health and wellbeing needs up to a cap of $12,500 over two years. Families will be able to access services to the value of $7,500 in the first year and $5,000 in the second. In addition, families with children can access additional support services to the value of $10,000 a year for each child under school age and $5,000 a year for each primary-school-age child until the child reaches high school.

Also under this initiative widowed partners can access support service to the value of $27,835 each year for two years for services such as cleaning, gardening and other help around the home and to provide counselling for them and their children and skills based support, such as mental health first aid and other practical support for the family's wellbeing. I acknowledge the member for Menzies's example about the importance of home support in times of crisis. He gave a good example of that. I think that demonstrates the benefit that this program will provide. Families will also have access to additional support for children under high school age.

The bill also includes new review rights for decisions made under this program, something that was not in the previously proposed legislation.

The Albanese Labor government is committed to delivering practical support measures that will improve the welfare and wellbeing of veterans and families now and into the future, building on services currently available in our community. This is one of those practical measures. The federal Labor government is committed to delivering a better future for defence personnel, veterans and families. I thank all honourable members for their commitment to supporting our service personnel, veterans and families.

If you are a serving member, veteran or family that requires support, you can contact Open Arms on 1800011046 or via openarms.gov.au. I encourage all members of the House, and indeed members of that other place, that when they see the volunteers from Legacy, who will be out and about around this building tomorrow morning, to please donate generously and support the work of Legacy and support our defence and veterans' family during this Legacy Week. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Message from the Administrator recommending appropriation announced.

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