George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service was renamed as Open Arms: Veterans and Families Counselling Service, by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs on 19 October 2018 to coincide with the Invictus Games;

(b) veterans of the Vietnam War were the first to recognise the need for specialist counselling services for Australia’s returned service personnel—their lobbying resulted in the establishment of the Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service, or VVCS, in 1982;

(c) since its establishment, VVCS has assisted thousands of veterans and their families with mental health and relationship issues, as well as building resilience and wellbeing; and

(d) over the years, the focus of this service has expanded to include veterans of all conflicts, their families and other members of the veteran community and the new name recognises this broader focus; and

(2) acknowledges the significant legacy of Australia’s Vietnam veterans who have ensured that future generations of serving men and women will have access to specialised mental health and wellbeing support.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you have a seconder?

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

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is the first parliamentary sitting day following the Centenary of Armistice commemoration services and events which have been conducted across the country. I'm sure most, if not all, members and senators in this parliament have been present at events which have brought to front of mind the sacrifices of our serving men and women in many theatres of war. What also must remain fresh in our minds is the need to support our serving and ex-service men and women. They need our support while they serve overseas, when they return home and, often, for many years after their time of active service has passed. It seems surprising now to think that the need for more specialised counselling services was recognised only 36 years ago in 1982. We have such services in place now because of the efforts of Vietnam veterans who lobbied for support, which finally led to the establishment of the Vietnam Veterans' Counselling Service, VVCS. Over time it has evolved to become a service for all veterans and currently-serving personnel and their partners and families. In keeping with the changing nature of that organisation, a name change was needed, and on 19 October my colleague, the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, announced that the VVCS would change its name to Open Arms - Veterans and Families Counselling to coincide with the Invictus Games.

In noting that name change I acknowledge some of the individuals and organisations in my electorate of Dawson who offer support to our veterans in a range and variety of ways. Mackay is home to my good friend and Imperial Victoria Cross recipient, Keith Payne. The bravery of this man in saving the lives of so many of his comrades is well known. While he was commanding troops in Vietnam, his company came under heavy attack. Keith—wounded himself and under heavy fire—organised his troops into a safer position and then spent three hours scouring the area for isolated and wounded soldiers. He found 40 wounded men, bringing some in himself and organising the rescue of others in enemy dominated terrain. Keith is now 85 years old, but he still wants to help others. He has only recently started his own advocacy service, the Keith Payne VC Veterans Benefit Group. I want to say to Keith Payne VC: well done and thank you for your service and your continued service.

Another Vietnam veteran who lives in Mackay is George Newton. George knows the struggles of adjusting to civilian life only too well, because he lived it himself. He now spends countless unpaid hours working as an advocate on behalf of other veterans, and he is a force to be reckoned with in that field. I'm sure the Department of Veterans' Affairs knows that! I want to say to George Newton: well done and thank you for your service and your continued service.

I have also recently met some members of another support group, the Patriots Australia Military Motorcycle Club. Their Shoalwater Bay branch, which covers a lot of my electorate, travelled to Proserpine to attend the war grave commemoration service for one of our light horsemen, Harry Herth, whose final resting place is at the Proserpine Cemetery. I commend the Patriots for the respect that they showed to a brother in arms from a different theatre of war, and I commend them on the way they support each other through their shared experience, through their love of motorbikes and also through their service for other veterans. Well done and thank you to the Patriots.

I note the member for Herbert here, who also covers as a representative, as I do, the garrison city of Townsville. Last month in Townsville—and I'm pretty sure the member for Herbert was there as well—I joined the Minister for Veterans' Affairs at the rededication of Zac's Place. Purchased by Vietnam Veterans Association Queensland Branch, this house provides veterans with emergency accommodation. The centre recently received $14,274 under the Supporting Younger Veterans grants program. Well done and thank you to all of those at Zac's Place.

Also in the garrison city is Phillip Thompson OAM, the LNP Candidate for Herbert. He works tirelessly with ex-service organisations, including the Royal Australian Regiment Corporation and the Bravery Trust, as well as government, to promote meaningful engagement and employment for veterans. I recently joined up with Phil and the Minister for Veterans' Affairs at a round table for young veterans, to ensure their voices are heard on the real struggles that follow complex injuries from battlefields such as Afghanistan. To everyone who provides support: thank you for your service.

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

I want to support the motion and commend the member for Dawson for it. I also acknowledge Australia's Victoria Cross winner Keith Payne, his service to our nation and his continuing service helping veterans. We take our hats off to all those Vietnam veterans who really paved the way for VVCS, for the support not only that the Vietnam veterans receive through that service but that their families, importantly, also receive.

As the son of a Vietnam veteran, and being a member of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia NT as a service member—obviously not a Vietnam veteran—I want to acknowledge that organisation. In particular, I acknowledge the current president, Bob Shewring, a Vietnam veteran who, in a first for Australia, removed the word 'Vietnam' from the name of the organisation in order to become more inclusive of younger veterans. They are now Veterans Australia NT, and I commend them for doing that.

The change of name from VVCS, as we've always known it, to Open Arms has been met with—dare I say it!—open arms. I want to recognise all those that do that important counselling and support work for our serving and former serving people and their families. I want to also quickly acknowledge the younger veterans and the work that they're doing to support their brother and sister comrades. Recently we had the great success of the Invictus Games and I want to acknowledge again the competitors that went from Darwin: Sonya Newman, Tom Foster and Samantha Gould. I also want to acknowledge people like Mark Reidy from The Road Home, in Adelaide, whose Invictus Pathways program—from the time that I spent there looking at the effect that it was having in that community—is a great thing.

When it comes to veterans affairs, we like to think—we hope—that there is always bipartisan support for our veterans. I'm proud of some of the initiatives that Labor has already announced. I'm glad that the Military Covenant is receiving bipartisan support but I will say that it's important that there's going to be regular reporting to parliament on how we're meeting our commitment to veterans through that covenant. The $120 million Veterans' Employment Program that the member for Kingston has announced is really important, as well. Jobs are crucial. It's not just about financial security. It's about structure, it's about community sense of purpose, it's about belonging and it is also about workplaces—companies, not for profits and governments—having awesome employees, which former service members, if I do say so myself, tend to be.

In Darwin, the capital of the North, I haven't just been talking. For years now I've been working with my colleagues and I have been consulting with our veterans and their families and with the first responder community. I am very proud that the member for Kingston joined me during this last couple of weeks to announce that federal Labor, in government, will commit $4.9 million to the Scott Palmer Centre, which will provide first responders and former and current serving defence members and their families with the support that they need. If there's one thing that I am keenly aware of, it's the fact that up until now we have not had enough support for our people and some of our people and their family members have been falling through the cracks. I'm really thankful also to the family of Scott Palmer. Scott was a commando with 2nd Commando Regiment and was killed in Afghanistan. His parents, Ray and Pam, continue to this day to put in so much time and effort, and they are literally saving lives. To hear Pam say how proud she was that now—should the Scott Palmer Centre go ahead, and we really hope it does—our young men and women will have the support that they need in Darwin.

Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm delighted to rise today in support of the motion from the member for Dawson. I also acknowledge the words of the member for Solomon. It is indeed important to ensure we have bipartisanship on this motion. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our Defence Force personnel, both past and present. It's a debt that we can never fully repay, especially to those exposed to the horror of war. But we should try—we should damn well try. In the catalogue of outstanding service provided by Australians to Australia, surely no sacrifice is greater than that of the men and women who commit themselves to the defence of our democracy and its citizens.

The personal cost of military service, especially operational service, is incredibly varied and complex. Many injuries are deep-seated, and at first appear quite subtle, often taking years to manifest themselves. Yet these injuries are no less real or cripplingly painful—at times, even fatal—than those caused by a bullet or shrapnel. As the member for Dawson's motion notes, last month the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, following extensive consultation, updated the name of the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service—which itself was renamed in 2007 from the Vietnam Veterans Families Counselling Service—VVCS, to Open Arms - Veterans and Families Counselling. Open Arms is committed to providing the highest-quality specialist counselling and support in the best traditions of the VVCS to current and ex-serving ADF members and their families. This confidential support service is free to anyone who has served even one day in the ADF and to the wider veteran community across Australia. The scope of the services offered by Open Arms has expanded significantly since the establishment of the original VVCS 36 years ago to now include specialist counselling and support for ADF personnel transitioning to civilian life, together with relationship issues and problems of anxiety, depression, anger management, sleep disorders, alcohol and substance abuse and, of course, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Despite its wider focus, Open Arms will always remain a service founded by Vietnam veterans when, in 1982, the Australian government established the VVCS after 10 years of hard lobbying by veterans following Australia's withdrawal from Vietnam. The new Open Arms branding honours that legacy with the acknowledgement that Open Arms is a service founded by Vietnam veterans for all veterans. The name Open Arms itself holds great meaning for our Vietnam veterans as a symbol of support, safety and security. Reminiscent of that conflict, the name evokes the image of a soldier standing in a clearing with open arms to signal the helicopter pilots, who provided a lifeline to ground troops, and show them where to land to bring supplies and evacuate the wounded.

The Vietnam War was Australia's second-longest conflict, exceeded only by the current war in Afghanistan. The tragedy of Vietnam tore at Australia's social fabric, perhaps more than any conflict since the First World War, and damaged an entire generation of young Australians. The true nature and extent of that damage was not widely understood or acknowledged at the time and so it took more than a decade for the pain and stress associated with that combat experience to be meaningfully addressed by the establishment of VVCS. The Open Arms of today and the VVCS that preceded it is the enduring legacy of those veterans and is their gift to future generations of men and women who serve in the defence of our nation

Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in this place today to stand up for the veterans, ex-serving personnel and their families not only in my electorate of Herbert but for all those who have served our nation. These are the very men and women who selflessly put their lives on the line so that we can live in the freedoms and democracy that this great nation offers our citizens. These brave men and women fought for our freedom and, as elected representatives, we have a responsibility to fight to ensure that they receive the services that they deserve and need.

I come from Townsville in North Queensland, the home of the largest garrison city in the nation and home to a very large veteran and ex-serving community. Our current and ex-serving members, veterans and their families contribute enormously to the Townsville community both socially and economically. Our community recognises and values their ongoing contributions and service to Townsville, and we are very proud to be a garrison city. We can never fully repay our veterans, ex-serving personnel and their families, but what we can do is ensure that they have access to effective counselling services. If changing the name of the counselling service to Open Arms means that more veterans and ex-serving personnel get access to much-needed counselling then that can only be a very good outcome for these men and women.

Labor is committed to ensuring that veterans and ex-serving personnel and their families are supported. Labor has listened to our current and ex-ADF community, and we have acted. A Shorten government will establish Australia's first military covenant, a formal agreement that will ensure that the nation's Defence Forces are fully supported during and after their service. We will legislate for accountability via regular reporting to the parliament. Labor will deliver a $121 million comprehensive veterans employment strategy to provide greater support to our defence personnel as they transition to civilian life. Labor's policy will have four main platforms that are designed to assist veterans into meaningful employment post their ADF time. Labor will deliver a family engagement and support strategy for defence personnel and veterans.

Labor took note of the recommendations in the National Mental Health Commission's 2017 review to ensure that support for families at known stress points occurs. Labor also pushed to establish the Senate inquiry into antimalarial drugs to ensure people's voices were heard and recognised. Labor have supported the calls to include the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation in the banking royal commission, because we understand that our veterans and their families deserve the right to have their super fund under the same scrutiny as every other Australian.

When I was first elected into my role as the member for Herbert, one of my primary priorities was to establish a mechanism that would enable me to engage meaningfully with the defence community in Townsville. Hence, I established the Townsville Defence Community Reference Group, which has successfully supported and informed the veteran suicide prevention trial being conducted by the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network, which I note is one of the most successful suicide prevention trials in the country. The group has also been instrumental in the formation of the leading veterans and ex-service personnel defence hub, known as the Oasis. I want to thank everyone in the Townsville Defence Community Reference Group for their dedication and commitment to improving the lives of our current ex-serving men and women, veterans and their families. I'm proud to stand in this place as a representative of the largest garrison city, and I will continue to stand up and fight for defence communities. We can never fully repay our debt to veterans, but we can give them long-term gratitude, respect and support.

For many veterans, the freedoms that we currently experience were important enough for them to endure long separations from their families, miss the births of their children, freeze in subzero temperatures, bake in deserts, lose limbs and, all too often, lose their lives. Military spouses have had to endure career interruptions, frequent changes of address and a disproportionate share of parental responsibilities. Children have often had to deal with changes in schools, separation from friends and, hardest of all, the uncertainty from not knowing whether mum or dad would return from their next tour. Whether their service was in Afghanistan or Vietnam, we need to make sure that our veterans and ex-serving personnel are served well. Veterans don't ask for much and the very least we can do is provide them with a counselling service that meets their needs in a timely manner.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's with pleasure that I rise to join with my colleagues in support of the motion before the House today, moved by the member for Dawson. The motion acknowledges the extraordinary work of veterans counselling services and celebrates the recent transition from what was known as the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service to what is now referred to as the Open Arms—Veterans and Families Counselling Service. As many of my colleagues have said, it is a terrific move. When I think of all the veterans I have known throughout my life, I can't imagine any one of them not supporting the opening up of the fantastic counselling services to a broader range of serving and ex-serving personnel from any theatre of war—so, regardless of the particular conflict—and whether or not their trauma is a result of conflict or service.

Many of my colleagues before me have spoken of the history of the setting-up of the counselling service and the instrumental role that the Vietnam veterans played in those early, formative years of its establishment. I'm the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and remember very well my father going to Vietnam and returning. Many, many years passed before my father and, indeed, our family needed to access those counselling services. I am one of 27,000 people who participated in the Vietnam Veterans Family Study that tried to shed some light on what the intergenerational impacts of deployment and war are not just on the serving veterans but, indeed, on family units as a whole.

The proposal that these counselling services should be opened up to accommodate the many people impacted by deployment life is something that we on both sides of the House all support. Indeed, we have horrifying statistics around suicide for ex-service personnel. We also have some particularly disturbing evidence around the ongoing impacts of post-traumatic stress disorder. The legacy left by the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service, in the two areas of suicide prevention and the treatment of PTSD in particular, is something that the Open Arms organisation will, hopefully, be able to expand on, and it will, indeed, deliver even better, more improved services to more people. There has always been greater demand than there have been services and resources. We know that, and anything we can do to address that is absolutely worth supporting, in my view. Open Arms, as I said, will be a lasting legacy of the Vietnam veterans who identified from day one the psychological impacts of war and also of military service itself. These impacts often last decades, well after the physical wounds have healed.

I would like to take this opportunity to really give thanks and praise where it's very much due: to the many people in my community who give so much of themselves in ways to support both serving and ex-serving personnel in the Newcastle region. I think first and foremost of Mr Stephen Finney and Ken Fahey, who were both involved in various ex-service organisations, including the Newcastle RSL sub-branch and the TPI Association, which is now based out at Wallsend. I have RSL sub-branches not just in Newcastle; there is Waratah-Mayfield, Merewether-Hamilton-Adamstown, Stockton and Wallsend and District sub-branches, to name just a few. I also pay tribute to Gerry Bailey, who is one of a very active men's health peer group that look after each other. I also want to acknowledge the partners of veterans and, indeed, the longstanding effort of Mrs Pat Cleggett, the former national secretary from Newcastle.

Debate adjourned.