David Batt (Hinkler, Liberal National Party) | Hansard source

I rise in support of the motion moved by the member for Cowper, and I thank him for standing up for our veterans. Courage and sacrifice should never be forgotten. Aussies, many young and afraid, have been into battle across many wars and many years, often with an unseen enemy. And they fought to protect the rest of us—to fight for our freedom.

This is why the government must scrap the $5,000 allied health cap, a cap Labor has imposed on veterans as a part of its chaotic, broken-promises budget. Veterans in my electorate of Hinkler, like those across the entire country, are feeling forgotten, stressed and confused. I support this motion that notes that the government's decision in the 2026-27 budget fails to support Australian veterans and their families and that the introduction of a $5,000 cap on allied health services places a significant limitation on veterans' access to essential rehabilitation, mental health and ongoing care.

Take Keith for an example. He provided me with a picture of his current situation: a 71-year-old Army veteran, a gold-card, totally and permanently incapacitated veteran, who is now increasingly clinically required to access allied health support in a bid to deal with his 39 years of loyal service to our nation. Keith says visiting one allied health therapist once a week for half an hour and for approximately 38 weeks will see him reach his new annual $5,000 limit. But he needs a mix of support: podiatry, physiotherapy and psychology, the kind of help that this new cap won't allow.

In Bundaberg, ex Navy Petty Officer, veteran Max Francis, has gathered hundreds of signatures from local veterans and their families. That's people putting their name on paper in strong opposition to this ill-informed change. Max and other veterans held a peaceful protest at the new ANZAC Park in Bundaberg last month. This protest, like the motion I stand here and support, acknowledges that many veterans rely on ongoing and specialist allied health support and that imposing a cap on these services will place many veterans at risk of delaying treatment and worsening health outcomes.

It will simply put greater pressure on an already clogged and broken healthcare system, just like the scrapping of the private healthcare rebate for over 65s. This Labor government is making it worse for everyone who needs access to health care. Where is the fair go? Vicki tells me her husband served for 41½ years, all the way from school to retirement. She says this cap is a kick in the guts for him and all veterans. Pieter says veterans are not here to fix years of the Labor government overspending, and Pieter is concerned with the amount of extra stress and hardship this will put on our veterans, who are already struggling.

DES spent 20 years in Defence. He says this Labor budget of broken promises will deprive veterans of serious medical treatment. This motion I support recognises that veteran families often experience emotional, financial and social pressures which are not adequately addressed in the budget. We cannot allow the defunding and discontinuation of veteran support and education programs. These initiatives have provided essential services, including mental health support, transition programs, community connection and education programs.

The answer is simple: the government must immediately scrap these decisions and commit to properly funding services and programs to ensure veterans and their families receive the support, respect and care they deserve, not just defer these cuts for another 12 months. Don't clog up the health system even more. In Hervey Bay, Denzil and Sue Potter both served. I met with them on multiple occasions in the past few weeks, and they've urged me to deliver this point: that veterans should not be asked to bear the cost of Labor's budget repair. As another constituent wrote in an email: 'Veterans are not a line item. They are Australians who put their lives, bodies and futures on the line for this country.'

Tomorrow many of us will have the honour of attending the opening of the new Anzac Atrium and Anzac Hall galleries at the Australian War Memorial. This showcases the stories of Australian service in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East and other peacekeeping operations. It's a showcase that allows us to respectfully reflect on Australian service with the dignity, depth and significance that our veterans deserve—a tribute to the sons and daughters who answered the call. Let us remember that their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Our veterans didn't cap their service to Australia, so we should never cap their care.

See this speech in context