Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Australian community has a clear expectation that defence personnel, veterans and their families are well looked after. This is an important task and responsibility of government—a solemn commitment.

I am pleased to be introducing this legislation today, as it demonstrates the Albanese Labor government's commitment to delivering a better future for our veterans and families, addressing the adequacy of support to totally and permanently incapacitated veterans—oft referred to as TPI veterans and their families, providing them greater financial support to ultimately deliver a better future for them.

Before the 2019 election, the then Prime Minister raised expectations he would increase the TPI payment by committing to a review of the pension, even telling the TPI Federation they had a 'compelling case'; however, after the election, funnily enough, no increase was recommended by that review.

Typical of the all-announcement no-delivery games of the previous government, Labor senators decided they couldn't rely on anyone else to get the job done—they rolled up their sleeves and initiated their own inquiry.

That inquiry—the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Inquiry into totally and permanently incapacitated payments—recommended that government consider increasing the TPI payment.

It made that recommendation on 1 July 2021. While that inquiry did not recommend a specific amount of increase of the TPI payment, it suggested it should be a 'modest' increase.

True to form, the then Liberal-National government ignored the bipartisan recommendation, another slap in the face for our most severely injured veterans.

On 24 April 2022, Senator Wong, then shadow minister for veterans' affairs the member for Blair, and I announced in different parts of the country that a Labor government, if elected, would act on the recommendation of the Senate inquiry and increase the TPI payment by $1,000 a year.

This bill today implements that commitment by Labor by increasing the special rate of disability compensation payment for veterans.

Let's be very clear here. In early 2019, the former Liberal-National government said it would do something to help veterans and then didn't do it for an entire term of this parliament, despite a bipartisan Senate inquiry recommending them to act. Labor committed to action in April 2022, was elected in May 2022 and is introducing that legislation today in October 2022, and that increase will come into effect from 1 January 2023, less than a year from when it was announced by Labor, then in opposition.

This $1,000-a-year increase to the special rate of disability pension, an increase of $38.46 per fortnight, is to ensure veterans and their families are better supported financially, helping keep up with cost-of-living pressures.

It forms part of how last night's federal budget, delivered by the Treasurer, delivers on the Albanese Labor government's commitment to deliver responsible cost-of-living relief. The increase to the TPI payment means it will be comparable with the national minimum wage and, crucially, greater than the after-tax national minimum wage a wage earner would receive. This initiative recognises the importance of supporting veterans who have been severely impacted by their experiences in the Australian Defence Force.

The bill will achieve this by amending the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 to increase the rate of pension payable to TPI veterans.

This government is committed to implementing practical support measures to better support defence personnel, veterans and their families.

We want our service personnel, veterans, and veteran families to know that Australia is proud of them and that our country will always be there for them.

That they will get the support that they not only need, but deserve.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.