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

The previous speaker mentioned that it takes a village to raise a child. The other thing that is required to keep children safe is that the village speak up when the children are being abused and if children are being raped. I want to remind this House that they have a responsibility for Veterans' Affairs, and they have a responsibility for the Department of Defence. In the last couple of weeks, in our training establishments, there have been suicides. There have been suicides right here in Canberra of veterans who have served this nation.

Those opposite continue to fail to realise that sexual assault, violence against women and suicide are big problems, not only in our nation but also in our Defence Force. We need a royal commission into defence and veteran suicide. It needs to be called. Those opposite have a responsibility to get serious about this. But, unfortunately, they are led by a prime minister who yesterday might as well have said to the nation that the women of Australia are lucky that they're not shot because they've got the ability to protest. But he fails to hear their words. And I say to those opposite who have failed to hear the words of the veterans and families of this nation: time is up. We need a royal commission into veteran and defence suicide. You have to power to do it, so call it. (Time expired)