Senate debates

Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Questions without Notice

Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel

2:12 pm

Photo of Bridget McKenzieBridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Yesterday, Minister Keogh admitted, 'I got it wrong,' when he initially refused to meet veterans who'd come to Parliament House concerned about Labor's $5,000 allied health limit. This is becoming a habit. He got it wrong when Labor tried to impose a 20-year limit on retrospective Defence honours and was forced to withdraw that legislation after veterans revolted. He got it wrong when his government stripped funding from Invictus Australia only to restore it after another backlash. And he got it wrong when he withdrew longstanding travel support from Doug and Kaye Baird—the parents of Corporal Cameron Baird VC, MG—before reversing that decision as well. How many times does Matt Keogh have to admit he got it wrong or be forced into an embarrassing backflip before the Prime Minister loses confidence in this minister for veterans affairs?

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