Emma Comer (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) | Hansard source

There is no greater responsibility than ensuring we honour the commitment and sacrifice that men and women have made to defend our nation. Every Australian who has ever worn the uniforms of the Australian Defence Force has answered the call to serve something greater than themselves. Not only have they earned our gratitude; they also deserve our unwavering support. That support must be reflected not just in a speech but in the decisions we make and the investments we deliver to veterans services.

When the Albanese Labor government came to office, the Department of Veterans' Affairs was under enormous pressure. Years of underresourcing had left almost 42,000 claims sitting unallocated. Imagine serving your country and then waiting months, if you're lucky, but more often years for someone to simply begin looking at your claim. The previous secretary of DVA, Major General Liz Cosson, made it clear that, under the previous coalition government's resourcing, that backlog would never have cleared. Veterans deserve better, and this government has acted. We invested in DVA, employed additional staff and properly resourced the department so veterans could receive the health care, compensation and support they deserve. As a result, all cases have been allocated, and the backlog is being cleared.

Today, new claims are allocated within 14 days and many common claims under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act are now processed within months. That is what happens when the government chooses to invest in veterans rather than leaving them waiting. Our commitment is backed by record funding. During the first three years of the Albanese government, spending on veteran compensation and treatment reached $37.9 billion, compared with the $31.1 billion over the final three years of the former coalition government. This financial year alone, spending is expected to exceed $15 billion—almost $5 billion more than in the final year of the former coalition government.

Now, it is clear that there are people trying to create concern and panic about allied health services, but the facts tell a different story. This government is delivering the biggest increase in allied health fees in more than two decades. From 1 July 2027, physiotherapy consultations will increase to $110, podiatry consultations to $110 and longer psychology consultations to $260. These increases respond directly to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and to the feedback from veterans who told us that it was becoming increasingly difficult to find providers willing to offer treatment. Better funding means better access to care.

Instead of requiring veterans to obtain a new referral every 12 sessions—something the former coalition government introduced—our reforms introduce an annual mandatory limit of $5,000, providing better flexibility and meaning less time going to a GP for what is ultimately an unnecessary tick of a box. Veterans with acute and complex needs will continue to receive treatment beyond that amount where clinically appropriate. These reforms reduce red tape; they do not add to it.

I want to make something very clear. Veterans with critical or acute health needs that would take them over the $5,000 annual monetary amount will continue to be supported. These new arrangements have received a lot of attention in and out of this chamber—rightly so. That is why members of the government, like me, are consulting with the veteran community to ensure veterans are getting the best out of these reforms.

In the electorate of Petrie, which I am proud to represent, I have already started meeting with veterans about these reforms. Petrie has over 5,500 veterans, one of the largest groupings of veterans in any one electorate, and this is something that I am honoured to have. These veterans served our country, and I have the honour of representing them in this building. Over the past month, I have met with every veteran who has asked for a meeting, and time and time again I've heard stories that outline just how incredibly important it is that we get these reforms right.

Debates like this matter, because the Albanese Labor government is a government that listens to the concerns of communities such as veterans and acts on them. We are a government that will always back our veterans. This is why we have delivered record investment. We are clearing the backlog that we inherited from those opposite, strengthened health care, improved claims processing, implemented the royal commission's recommendations and reformed the veteran support system to better meet the needs of those who served our nation.

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