Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Australians mostly understand that service and sacrifice are the hallmarks of our ADF veterans, their families and community. As a fourth-generation veteran, I had the great honour of being appointed by the Prime Minister as the Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia. As a result of that, I have many opportunities to meet with ADF members, veterans, their families, ex-service organisations and other people that come into contact with this community of outstanding patriotic Australians.

To give you an example, this morning I was honoured to represent the minister at the Australian War Memorial to lay a wreath with the Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex Service Men and Women. I was there with the Chief of the Defence Force and Matt Anderson, the Director of the Australian War Memorial. I thank them for facilitating the wonderful event in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and then to see the names that have been added in recent times to our honour roll to mark those who were killed on operations.

Before that, I attended the launch of Bravery Trek, a national fundraising challenge held every year by Bravery Trust. It was wonderful to see my good friend and former not-quite-classmate—she was a second-year when I was a first-year at the academy— Lieutenant General Susan Coyle. It was great to walk with her this morning and Khalil Fegan, our repat commissioner. I want to say well done to Steve Patrick and the whole team at Bravery Trust, who are raising vital funds through Bravery Trek to provide a financial safety net for current and ex-serving members facing hardship. They also do longer term financial counselling and proactive financial literacy programs.

Also, this morning I attended a launch of the strengthened partnership between Invictus Australia and the University of New South Wales. I'm continually impressed by the way Invictus is leading the world in terms of its programs. I want to give a shout-out and thank the chair, Glenn Keys, and the whole Invictus team. It was great to talk to the vice-chancellor at UNSW, my alma mater. It was great to understand more about how they're recognising current competencies and prior learning in the military and helping defence members to move as they transition—or a long time after they've transitioned—with that commitment to lifelong learning and with the skills that are inherent in anyone who's served in the military by way of the values that are instilled and the passion to get after it, whatever it may be. I encourage all veterans, wherever you can, to look for mentoring opportunities where you can assist those who are working through that period of transition, so we can have more veterans working across the various sectors of our economy, including the Public Service, and so you can share your leadership with them.

Tomorrow morning I'll be attending the Royal Australian Navy Recruit School graduation at HMAS Cerberus down in chilly coastal Victoria. I'm looking forward to that. My brother, Xavier, graduated from HMAS Cerberus about a quarter of a century ago. I look forward to the opportunity to talk to those naval recruits becoming sailors tomorrow morning—after talking to Admiral Johnston, the Chief of the Defence Force, at the Australian War Memorial this morning—and learn more from them about how our ADF is positioned to take on the challenges that we ask them to take on. Serving is the greatest purpose one can have in life, in my view. Serving the family, serving the community and serving the nation. We want Australians to be attracted to serving our nation in the Australian Defence Force, in our national intelligence organisations, Australian Border Force and, for that matter, our first responders—anywhere there is a need for good people serving the common good.

I am also always talking to families so they understand that we pushed for and eventually had a royal commission, which is the subject of this morning's speech. The cultural deficiencies that were there and that led to unnecessary and unavoidable suffering by members of the ADF and veteran community are being addressed. It is with confidence that I say to families that you can be assured that the ADF of today and of the future is much more about supporting the individual to be a team member and to complete the mission, but also to be set up for a happy and successful life. That is my main message to family members and to those thinking about serving in the Australian Defence Force.

We needed a royal commission, and we fought for it so hard and are now getting after those recommendations, because anyone who serves in the ADF should know their nation will do everything it can to provide the conditions for success, for one, and it will also provide the support that is only fit and proper for a grateful nation. It's our nation's duty to empower and support the mental health and wellbeing of our defence, veterans and families communities and to look after them. Many others have said this, and I acknowledge all those who have contributed to this debate.

There was an interim report of the royal commission in 2022 containing recommendations, and we started getting after those recommendations when we came to government. There was a backlog at DVA that we've acted to fix. We've legislated around the overhauling of complex systems and harmonised legislation. We're at a year now since the royal commission was handed down, with seven volumes and 122 recommendations. It's really important that we have a continued sense of urgency in the implementation of those recommendations. We've established an implementation taskforce within PM&C. At the beginning of August, nine recommendations had already been fully implemented, with a further 110 underway.

The establishment of an oversight body is important. The new Defence and Veterans' Services Commission will be up and running by the end of September. It will provide—as I'm sure many others have mentioned—oversight and evidence based advice that drives systematic reform to improve suicide prevention and wellbeing outcomes for the Defence and veterans community. We are currently recruiting for the inaugural Defence and Veterans' Services Commissioner through a merit based recruitment process. The commissioner will have significant independent investigative powers into veteran supports and the progress of implementation of the recommendations from the royal commission—and that is important. Today we released the Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. That is important as well. We're doing everything we can, as we should.

See this speech in context