David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, as well as all of those accountability processes that you have cited in your question. Let me see if some other initiatives can give you comfort. Firstly, as you will be aware, and as has been reiterated in this debate today, this is part of the motivation for upgrading and enhancing the IT systems and information systems that are available in the department. Above and beyond that, there is a continued consultation with ESOs to allow for their input and, notwithstanding claims to the contrary, the department obviously focuses very heavily on its consultation processes and structures with ESOs. Lastly, there are ongoing regular monitoring and consultative forum arrangements so that the department and its leadership are completely permeable to concerns that might exist in the veterans community or elsewhere about the operation of this legislation and departmental systems that support it.