David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Sure. I think this is directly relevant to exactly what Senator Lambie is urgently trying to get the Senate to deal with—a government who talks a big deal on defence. We have both major parties talking a big game when it comes to defence and then, from what I've seen, not having the same focus and care on the actual defence personnel.

As many senators have pointed out, without Australians who are willing to sign up to our defence forces to defend Australia—with the cost that they and their families incur—we don't have a defence force. We have to be doing more, and it seems to me that a government that is willing to say to defence personnel, 'What happens overseas is not our problem'—that goes to the very heart of some of the issues that we see in defence. I would urge the government—I know this is a complex area. I know there are a lot of things to balance in terms of budget and all of the other constraints that we hear a lot about, but, surely, we can find it in us to better look after defence personnel, their families and veterans. Surely, that should be a focus. If you're willing to put your life on the line for our country, this great country, if you're willing to sign up where you could die in the name of Australia, we owe it to you to look after you while you're serving and then once you're out. We have an obligation to you. So I would urge the government to do more. It is deeply troubling. If what Senator Lambie is bringing forward in this motion is true, it is deeply troubling to have an Australian government that is doing that.

To the broader issue around defence, if this five per cent cut—which the government is denying but we're hearing will potentially affect departments—is true for somewhere like DVA, what will that mean for veterans' processing times? What will that mean for people who feel like they're not getting the supports that they need? This is all connected. I urge the government: we need a change of attitude from the top brass down. I would say that that actually comes from the government demanding of the Defence Force that we better look after serving personnel and that we better look after veterans. Thank you, Senator Lambie, for your work on this.