Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel. This morning, the Chair of Women Veterans Australia said the minister was delaying the release of a women veterans strategy. I quote: 'I know a strategy with some great recommendations, and we're yet to see that come out of the minister's office despite lobbying. Almost a year later, that hasn't been publicly published. Progress has stalled now, with this strategy sitting with the minister, and, quite frankly, we feel like we're being gaslit.' Minister, why are you gaslighting female veterans?

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

I thank the member for the question. One of the issues that have come up over the time that I've been in the portfolio has been the very real concern expressed by many women veterans about how a system that, understandably, has been designed primarily over the last century to support male members in the Defence Force may be missing areas of support that we need to specifically address because of the unique nature of some of the aspects of impacts of service on our women in service and our veteran community.

As part of that, and recognising that, the Department of Veterans' Affairs has been leading the work on consulting with our women veterans, with women serving personnel and with Defence on developing a women's strategy. That's really important work, and it's been complex work. I really want to thank everybody who has engaged in that work, because it is really important that we get that right. That's not just something that's been led by DVA; it's also work that's been coordinated with Defence, making sure we're recognising those special elements within defence service as well as the veteran community. We're working through the complexity of that work now so we can deliver that strategy.

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause. The minister has concluded his answer.