Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

It's important at the outset to place on record that the concept of an independent oversight body is not new. Indeed, the coalition brought forward legislation in 2020 to establish a national commissioner for defence and veteran suicide prevention. That proposal sought to create a truly independent statutory authority with many of the same structural features now being implemented. At that time, the legislation was not supported. The Labor Party instead opposed that legislation at the time for political purposes. Their stated position then was that a royal commission was necessary first, but they rejected an immediate independent overnight mechanism that could have begun driving reform and accountability years earlier. The decision had consequences that delayed the introduction of a system-wide oversight at a time when it was urgently needed. Earlier action could have seen reform efforts and accountability mechanisms operating in parallel with the royal commission, accelerating progress and strengthening outcomes for veterans and families.

What is now before the parliament, the Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner Bill 2025 and the Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025, closely resembles the model the coalition proposed and the government opposed. If that earlier proposal had been supported, we would already have a mature, independent oversight body operating within the system today. The coalition will support this framework because veterans and their families cannot afford further delay; however, history should not be overlooked. It's a matter of record that Labor put political consideration ahead of early reform and is now delivering a model that it once rejected.

The coalition established the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide because we recognise that too many families have been failed by the system. Confidence had broken down, and truth and accountability were required. The findings of the royal commission reinforced what veterans and families had been saying for years—that systemic failures require systemic solutions. The commission made clear that enduring reform depends on independent system-wide oversight operating at arm's length from Defence and the Department of Veterans' Affairs. One of its central recommendations was the creation of a permanent independent statutory oversight body. These bills are intended to give effect to that recommendation, and the coalition supports that objective in principle.

Independent oversight must be real, not symbolic. It requires strong powers, transparent reporting and direct accountability to the parliament. Without those elements, oversight risks becoming procedural rather than transformational. It's also essential that a body established through standalone legislation—attempts to create it through late-stage amendments to unrelated legislation were rushed and lacked appropriate consultation. Major institutional reforms of this nature demand proper scrutiny and engagement. The coalition supported the amended vets bill at the time to avoid delaying urgent reforms for veterans, but we made clear our concerns about process and structure. We advocated for standalone legislation, stronger independence guarantees and proper parliamentary scrutiny.

Following the coalition's initiative, a Senate inquiry examined the proposed model in detail. That inquiry confirmed significant stakeholder concerns regarding independence, power, scope and clarity of function. Many of the improvements reflected in the final legislation stemmed directly from that scrutiny. Stakeholders across the veterans community emphasised the need for genuine independence, clear authority and transparency.

These principles are reflected in the bill before us, and that is to be welcomed. Strong information-gathering powers are appropriate in this context. Weak oversight bodies produce weak outcomes. However, these powers must be balanced with safeguards, procedural fairness and the protection of rights. This bill achieves that balance. Equally important is transparency. Public reporting and mandatory tabling in parliament ensure that findings are visible and cannot be set aside within the bureaucracy. Mandatory government responses within defined timelines are essential to ensuring that recommendations translate into action.

Returning to the coalition's amendment, this is a matter of accountability and timing. The bill as currently drafted delays the first implementation assessment by the commissioner until December 2027, with the report potentially not being tabled until 2028—almost four years after the royal commission delivered its findings. That timeframe is simply too slow. Veterans and their families were promised urgent reform, not deferred reporting. Independent oversight must be timely if it is to be meaningful. Delayed accountability weakens the very purpose of establishing the commission. (Time expired)