Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. I refer the minister to the case of a Vietnam War veteran in my electorate who applied for a part-service pension and was told to present to the Toowoomba Department of Veterans’ Affairs office the following documentation: an application to determine qualifying service by a veteran, a claim for a service pension, a claim for a service pension part B income and assets, a private company questionnaire, his discharge certificate, his drivers licence, his wife’s drivers licence, his Medicare card, his birth certificate, his wife’s birth certificate, his passport, his wife’s passport, a copy of his superannuation statement and his original marriage certificate. After presenting the long list of documentation he was then told that because of the lack of resources in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs the processing of his application would take a minimum of three months. Why are the needs of our diggers not given top priority by this Labor government?

Opposition members interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Canning has been having a running commentary throughout the whole of question time. If he wishes to take it up as an occupation outside the chamber I can arrange for him to leave. He is warned.

Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Obviously the member is aware that I am not aware of the details of the particular case he raises. I know that on many occasions he has been prepared to raise cases with me on an individual basis outside the chamber. I offer that opportunity to him again on this occasion and am happy to discuss the details. He should be in no doubt as to the priority and commitment this government has to its veterans. Our commitment is as one with that of the previous government and from a funding perspective is in line with the commitments we made at the last election, which were extensive and were well supported by the veteran community. I am happy to discuss the individual’s case.

On the question of the provision of paperwork and the requirements to try and sort out the sorts of issues that have been known to both sides of the House with respect to some of the complexities around the system, this government, through an interdepartmental working group and work between the various agencies involved in the many needs of our veteran community, has made quite a lot of changes and undertaken initiatives to try to minimise the level of paperwork required. The former Minister for Veterans’ Affairs would also know, with his extensive knowledge in this area, that we often deal with difficult situations around the paperwork in this area. I remind the House that just recently we dealt with a case in the public forum which, although entirely different to this, highlighted the fact that record keeping in this area is a complex thing. Issues around proof and administration are also complex and need to be taken into account to ensure that everyone gets their entitlements and that people are treated appropriately. I am happy to discuss this matter with him outside the chamber and to discuss those issues in some detail.