Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) welcomes the Federal Government's recent announcement of an additional $498 million over 10 years to expand the Australian War Memorial to commemorate recent conflicts;

(b) acknowledges that:

(i) between 2000 and 2015, 325 members of the Australian Defence Force and veterans have been lost to suicide,

(ii) NSW RSL have reported that 85 veterans suicided last year,

(iii) suicides amongst veterans are not always recorded and, thus, these figures are likely to be much higher, and

(iv) the most recent report available suggests that between 2007 and 2009, and between 2013 and 2015, there has not been a statistically significant change in the suicide rate among ex-serving men; and

(c) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) increase funding for veteran support payments and health services, and

(ii) look after the living, as we rightly honour our war dead.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Suicide can affect everyone and is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 44. Current and former Defence members are not immune, and the government is determined to support those at risk. Suicide prevention and improving mental health support is a high priority, and we invest significantly in it. Each year, over $200 million is spend on veterans' mental health support, which is needs based and uncapped. We introduced free treatment for any mental health condition for anyone with a single day of defence service and some reservists. We've also invested $31 million to improve support for veterans and their families, including new payments to ensure vulnerable veterans have financial support while their claims are being assessed. In addition to treatment, we know that recognition of our veterans' service through commemorations can support good mental health and wellbeing. Over $275 million has been spent to reform the Department of Veterans' Affairs and ensure it is putting veterans and their families first.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor has raised concerns that, whilst Treasurer, Scott Morrison ripped $40 million of funding from veterans', critical, allied and dental health services from our veterans, which Senate estimates confirmed in October will result in fewer services for veterans. This comes on top of the repatriation medical schedule freeze, which was already seen as a reduction in access to critical medical services for our veterans. Labor has said that, if there is more we can do to bring more support to our veterans, we should be doing it. Today Labor has announced a number of policies to assist our veterans and provide tangible support, including $4.9 million for the Scott Palmer Service and Veterans' Support Hub in the Northern Territory, $1 million to a veterans' recovery centre for the Ipswich and Somerset region, commitment to signing Australia's first military covenant and announcing $121 million for a comprehensive veterans' employment program. We will develop a family engagement and support strategy, will establish the Western Front Fellowship Program and have established the Senate inquiry into the use of antimalarials in the ADF. (Time expired)

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I talked to Senator Hinch about this last week. I ask for the Senate's indulgence to vote on parts (a), (b) and (c) of this motion separately. I ask leave to make a one-minute statement as to why I propose that.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So you're requesting parts (a), (b) and (c) be put separately?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I request that part (a) be put separately and parts (b) and (c) be put together.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 2015, the Greens initiated the first Senate inquiry into veteran suicides in this country. I and members of this chamber travelled all around the country and heard heartbreaking stories about the struggles that vets were going through, particularly when they left the Defence Force and were passed onto the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Senator Lambie also initiated an inquiry following that which followed up a lot of the information that we uncovered. We fully support better services for veterans—it's the cost of war that often goes unseen in this country—but we can't support $500 million being given to the Australian War Memorial. I've personally had discussions with Dr Brendan Nelson about this. The Greens have opposed the money going to the War Memorial because we don't want to see Operation Sovereign Borders, for example, being given its own exhibition in the Australian War Memorial and that kind of cruelty and inhumane treatment of refugees being normalised in this country as part of a propaganda war that this government is fighting. So we support parts (b) and (c) but not part (a). (Time expired)

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that part (a) of general business notice of motion No. 1258, standing in the name of Senator Hinch, be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

The question is that parts (b) and (c) of general business notice of motion No. 1258, standing in the name of Senator Hinch, be agreed to.

Question agreed to.