Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I associate myself, in particular, with the last remark Senator Shoebridge made in relation to our last Senate estimates hearing with the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Senator David Pocock participated in that estimates hearing as well. I wholeheartedly agree that there are a number of fundamental issues in relation to how, in particular, the Department of Veterans' Affairs is managing access to medical services, including medical compensation, expert reports, access to psychiatrists and a number of other issues. I acknowledge the work that Senator Lambie has undertaken in that regard.

In the context of this legislation, I want to place on the record my thanks to Phil Thompson, the member for Herbert in the other place, and also the former member for Braddon, Gavin Pearce, who now serves with great distinction in the Tasmanian parliament. I can distinctly remember, during the period of my first three years in this place, their advocacy, particularly informed by their lived experience as veterans, in relation to the need to have a royal commission looking at the issue of suicide amongst our veterans. It was, in large part, due to their advocacy that the coalition government instituted and established the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. I want to take this opportunity to put on the record my thanks to each of them for their strong advocacy. I saw firsthand their passionate commitment to this cause.

Senator McDonald said, in her usual wise way, that the coalition had proposed the establishment of an independent national commissioner dealing with the issue of suicide and suicide prevention for our veterans. It had been something which was put forward by the coalition when we were in government. It was legislation which was, unfortunately, defeated in this place. But we've gotten here eventually, with respect to setting up this independent Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner Bill. I think it's extraordinarily important that we got to this destination. I think it's a much improved piece of legislation, from the scrutiny which has occurred through the Senate committee process. I want to thank all the senators who contributed to that scrutiny across the chamber and acknowledge where the government has accepted those amendments proposed by the committee.

The last comment I want to make is on the importance, from my perspective, of this new commissioner's power to establish an inquiry on their own initiative into matters relating to suicide prevention or wellbeing outcomes for veterans. From my perspective, it is absolutely crucial that the commissioner not be hamstrung, not be limited and not have guardrails erected around their discretion with respect to embarking upon their own inquiry and examination into matters of concern with respect to suicide and suicidality among our veterans. That is incredibly important. When you dovetail that power with the commissioner's independence from the department and from the minister and consider the powers the commissioner will have with respect to witness protection and compelling access to evidence, I think this is a really good scheme. It's an effective scheme. As Senator McDonald has advocated, we should accelerate the reporting dates in relation to the work of the commissioner and the implementation of the royal commission's recommendations. I fully support that as well. Our veterans deserve nothing less than this legislation.