Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was delighted to welcome the Assistant Minister for Defence, Stuart Robert, to my electorate in Brisbane recently to launch a family health program which provides free basic health care to all defence families. Brisbane is the home to Gallipoli Barracks, one of the largest military bases in Australia and, as a result, I have the honour of representing thousands of ADF members. I wholeheartedly welcome the Abbott government's National Australian Defence Force Family Health Program which will benefit some 5,700 dependants of ADF members who reside in and around Brisbane. The launch of the National ADF Family Health Program fulfils one of the government's key defence election commitments and will help ease the pressure on defence families. So in five months we have managed to deliver on a promise that Labor failed to deliver for six long years.

Our ADF members lose countless hours of precious family time while they serve our country. Under the government's national program, every dependant of a full-time ADF member and reservist on continuous full-time service will be eligible for this program. Each eligible ADF dependant will be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses when visiting their local general practitioner. They may claim up to $400 per year for allied health services such as physiotherapy, dentistry and mental health support.

I am very proud of this government and the fact that they have recognised how precious our ADF personnel are and how important they are as a military capability. The National Australian Defence Force Family Health Program is a good one. (Time expired)