I rise to speak on the Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 1) Bill. The opposition will be supporting this bill. We do so because we recognise both the importance of the reforms before the Senate and the obligation that we all owe to our men and women who have served and who continue to serve the ADF.

The Australian way of life that we enjoy today has been secured through the enduring service, courage and sacrifice of those who've worn our nation's uniform. Throughout times of armed conflict, peacekeeping operations and natural disasters, members of the ADF have served with professionalism, distinction and dedication. They have protected our nation, supported communities in times of crisis, contributed to international stability and upheld Australia's responsibilities both at home and abroad.

In return, we have a solemn responsibility to ensure that those who serve are treated with dignity, respect and fairness. We have an obligation to support them not only while they are in uniform but throughout their lives after service. We have a responsibility to care for them—for both the physical and their psychological wounds that can arise during their military service. That obligation extends to ensuring that our systems, our institutions and our laws operate in a way that protects serving members and veterans and responds appropriately when deficiencies are identified. This bill seeks to do that.

It implements a number of recommendations arising from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. That royal commission was established by the former coalition government in July 2021 after listening to calls from veterans, families, advocates and the broader community for a national inquiry into the systemic issues affecting current and former defence personnel. When the coalition established the royal commission, we did so because there could be no greater priority than understanding why too many Australian Defence Force personnel and veterans were taking their own lives and than identifying the reforms needed to prevent that tragedy.

The commission's work was extensive, and it was confronting. The final report confirmed what veterans, families and many within the ex-service community had been saying for years. It identified systemic shortcomings, it highlighted the need for greater accountability, and it made clear that meaningful reform is required. The coalition has consistently supported the implementation of agreed recommendations arising from the royal commission. At the last election, we committed to implementing the agreed response to the royal commission. We supported legislation to establish the Defence and Veterans' Services Commission, we've engaged extensively with veterans organisations and advocacy groups, and we remain firmly committed to addressing the unacceptably high rates of suicide among serving and former defence personnel. More than half a million Australians have served or are currently serving in the ADF. What is clear from the findings of the royal commission is that we must do better by those who defend our nation, our families and our way of life.

This bill provides the framework to implement recommendations 18, 20, 23, 34 and 63 of the royal commission while also introducing broader reforms to modernise Australia's military justice and discipline systems. At its heart, the bill seeks to reduce harm and suicide risk for Defence members involved in military justice processes, improve fairness within those processes and align military disciplinary proceedings more closely with contemporary community expectations regarding accountability, transparency and procedural fairness. The coalition recognises the importance of each of these objectives.

Our military justice system plays a critical role in maintaining discipline, accountability and operational effectiveness within the ADF. Discipline is not an abstract concept within defence; it is fundamental to military capability. It supports command authority, it promotes cohesion within units, it underpins operational readiness, and it ensures confidence throughout the chain of command. When disciplinary matters are not resolved efficiently, fairly and transparently, serious consequences can follow. Delays can undermine morale, uncertainty can place unreasonable strain on personnel, confidence in the system can diminish and relationships within units can become strained.

In some circumstances, unresolved disciplinary issues can affect the safety and wellbeing of defence members and the broader defence community. That is particularly true when allegations involve serious misconduct or conduct that affects operational environments. For those reasons, our military justice system must be fair, effective and timely. It must protect personnel while maintaining discipline, it must support confidence while ensuring accountability, and it must allow the ADF to remain capable, professional and mission ready.

The coalition has a long history of supporting reforms that strengthen military justice in Australia. Previous coalition governments introduced reforms to modernise the Defence Force Discipline Act, streamline disciplinary processes and strengthen responsiveness to cyberbullying, harassment and unacceptable behaviour within the ADF. We've consistently maintained that bullying, harassment and misconduct have no place within the ADF. We also recognise that military justice systems must evolve over time.

The challenge for legislators is ensuring that reforms improve accountability and fairness while preserving the operational effectiveness and integrity of defence institutions. The measures before the Senate seek to address that challenge. Schedule 1 of the bill directly implements recommendations 18, 20, 23 and 63 of the royal commission. Among other things, these provisions establish a more consistent framework for the suspension of defence members who are under investigation for serious civilian criminal offences. At present, a member may be suspended during investigations into service offences, yet suspension is generally unavailable where serious civilian offences are being investigated until formal charges are laid. The royal commission identified concerns in this area. The bill seeks to provide more consistent mechanisms across service, civilian and overseas investigations. The bill also strengthens consideration of victim impact in serious violent and sexual offence matters to ensure service tribunals can take account of the broader effects of offending when determining sentences. Importantly, schedule 1 also provides for serious service offences to be recorded on criminal records through disclosure to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and removes outdated and stigmatising language from the Defence Force Discipline Act.

Schedule 2 implements recommendation 34 and introduces greater transparency within military justice proceedings. Under these reforms, convictions and sentencing decisions by superior tribunals must be accompanied by reasons. Sentencing responsibilities are modernised, court martial processes are updated, military justice administration is streamlined, and the role of judge advocates in legal decision-making is strengthened in a manner more consistent with contemporary legal practice.

Schedule 3 addresses mental health provisions within the military justice system. These reforms recognise that mental health conditions may affect an individual's capacity to participate in proceedings, even when they do not meet the threshold of legal incapacity. The bill introduces powers permitting adjournment or the dismissal of charges in certain circumstances involving mental impairment. It also establishes a framework for defence mental health tribunals to deal with situations where a member may be unfit to plead. The coalition supports the principle that military justice systems should be capable of responding appropriately and compassionately to mental health issues while maintaining procedural fairness and good order and discipline.

Schedule 4 seeks to reduce complexity and delays by streamlining summary disciplinary arrangements. The royal commission identified inefficiencies in the existing framework. The simplification of processes can contribute to a more efficient and responsive discipline system.

Schedule 5 contains 16 parts dealing with a range of other amendments. These include updating evidentiary rules, aligning the grounds for the termination of judicial officers, strengthening review processes, modernising the powers of investigating officers and introducing removal orders for intimate images. It also enables the provision of evidence by video link, provides for victim impact statements and allows for the extinguishment of historical homosexual service convictions that would not be offences today. These measures seek to improve the coherence of the system and align the Defence Force Discipline Act with contemporary Australian law and practice.

Schedule 5 also allows the minister for defence to issue guidelines to the Director of Military Prosecutions. This provision is modelled on section 8 of the Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1983, which provides the Attorney-General with the power to issue directions and guidelines to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. This schedule also makes amendments to vest all statutory disciplinary powers in the CDF, rather than in the CDF and the service chiefs, allowing the CDF to delegate those powers to service chiefs and other ADF officers at or above the rank of commodore, brigadier or air commodore.

The remaining schedules establish transitional rule-making power to provide for the transition between the existing discipline system and the new legislative framework.

The coalition recognises the broader purpose of this legislation and the importance of progressing reforms that respond to the findings of the royal commission. They demand action, and the implementation of the royal commission's recommendations represents an important and overdue step towards addressing systemic shortcomings, strengthening accountability and improving outcomes for defence personnel and veterans.

The coalition will be proposing some amendments that we believe will improve the bill's implementation, including by enabling parliamentary oversight of the new powers of the minister for defence to direct the Director of Military Prosecutions. I'd like to recognise the diligent work by my colleague Senator Jess Collins during the committee process and in initiating these amendments.

We will continue to scrutinise the implementation of these reforms closely. We'll engage constructively with stakeholders, we will monitor the operation of this legislation, and we will hold the government accountable for delivering the reforms to genuinely improve outcomes for those who serve. But, having considered the bill in its entirety, the coalition have determined that ADF members, veterans and the veteran community are best served by our supporting its passage.

Legislation alone will not solve every challenge identified by the royal commission. No single reform can. However, this bill represents an important contribution to the broader reform effort and provides a foundation upon which further improvements can be built. Our ADF personnel deserve a military justice system that is fair, transparent and effective. Our veterans deserve confidence that the lessons learned from the royal commission and the agreed recommendations will be acted upon. And the Australian people deserve assurance that those who serve our nation will receive the support, respect and protection that they've earned through their service and sacrifice for our country.

I indicate at the start that the Greens will be supporting the Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 1) Bill 2026. The reason we are is that it's one of those occasions where a government has actually had a royal commission, looked at the royal commission, taken the recommendations seriously and then tried in good faith to actually implement those recommendations. When you see that happen, it gives you a little bit of hope that, actually, politics can from time to time get it right.

What are the key recommendations from the royal commission that are being implemented with this legislation? The first one is recommendation 18, 'Strengthen workplace protections during sexual misconduct investigations'. Enormous credit is owed to the royal commission, Commissioner Kaldas and the team, for the way in which they created a safe space for veterans, serving and retired, to come and tell the truth about what was happening. I've got to tell you, my office has heard from so many veterans, overwhelmingly women, who had appalling treatment inside Defence, including appalling sexual misconduct, with—I think we should just say it like it is—a boys club coming in and protecting the senior officers. That's the reality for far too many women inside Defence. Men behave badly and then an empowered boys club comes in and protects the perpetrators. The royal commission heard that, and they put it in nicer language than I did, but that's the truth of it. Recommendation 18 set out a number of key elements to protect women, overwhelmingly, in those situations who are survivors of sexual misconduct and who deserve to be protected and supported through the process. This bill, the Greens believe, goes a significant way to implementing recommendation 18, and we support it.

Recommendation 20 is 'Amend the legislation related to sentencing perpetrators of military sexual offences'. I think the community would have been horrified to see the way in which people inside Defence who have been accused and then, indeed, found guilty of instances of sexual misconduct keep the uniform. Sexual abuse of, normally, junior members of Defence have been found to be true, and then they keep the uniform. That has to end. There's got to be a position which says those two things don't coexist. You don't get to keep the uniform and the entitlements and the respect after you've been found guilty of sexual offences. It's got to end. That's what recommendation 20 says, and that's where this legislation finally takes the law.

Recommendation 23 is 'Record convictions of sexual offences in Australian Defence Force records and civilian criminal records'. It was remarkable—and again I credit the royal commission for doing the hard work—to find out that there could be records of convictions of sexual misconduct and other serious offences under the military defence system and those records are never matched and given to the state, territory or federal criminal justice systems. So, if somebody who might have been found guilty of a sexual offence inside the military then continues offending outside of the military, when they appear the first time in the criminal courts in the non-military system, it's as though they have a clean record and have never offended before. That's got to end too, and this legislation allows the information to be shared to make that happen.

Recommendation 63 is 'Reduce stigma and remove structural and cultural barriers to help seeking'. It's probably worthwhile reading the text of that recommendation:

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) should identify and remove cultural and structural barriers to help seeking and make a greater concerted effort to reduce stigma. This should include:

(a) the Australian Government should remove reference to the word 'malingering' at Section 38 of the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 (Cth)

(b) Defence should review all its policies and procedures and amend or remove those that are stigmatising

(c) the ADF should develop a dedicated training program and a communications campaign to reduce stigma and promote help seeking.

Of all the structural things that you see, the idea that those who have been the subject of appalling treatment inside Defence and have had to have some time off are then getting charged with malingering under the Defence Force Act because of what people in positions of authority have done to them is just so offensive. The word is weaponised inside the Defence Force against people who are seeking help and against people who have been the victims of appalling treatment. It's about time that ended, and this legislation does end that.

The Greens do support this legislation because it amends those recommendations. Credit to the veterans who had the courage and the ability and the strength to go and tell the truth to the royal commission. Credit to the royal commission for listening, hearing and coming up with recommendations. And, in this case, I'm going to say credit to Minister Keogh for turning those words into legislative reforms. I hope we can pass this bill in a hurry.

I support the Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 1) Bill 2026. In doing so, though, I want to place on the record the words of someone who served this country admirably until he was subject to the abuse of discipline from the supposed leaders who are meant to protect our personnel. Daniel Dare served in the Royal Australian Air Force, and his words are so very meaningful. He's written a letter to me about Australian Defence Force discipline. It reads as follows.

Dear Senator Roberts,

I support reform of the Defence Force Discipline Act, but this bill must be treated as a beginning, not an end.

My experience shows how readily military justice can be weaponised by senior officers, how fiercely the system resists scrutiny and how dangerous it becomes when a member is unwell or inconvenient.

I joined the ADF at 17 under a 14-and-a-half year Initial Minimum Period of Service.

I spent more than 11 years trying to become the officer the service said it wanted.

I hoped for a lifelong career.

Eventually that hope became: "I just need to survive to the end."

Service should not feel like a prison sentence administered by officers who hide poor judgement behind process.

In March 2023, my Commanding Officer attempted to punish me over a message I did not write, send or know even existed.

A defective fact-finding process proceeded without interviewing me.

He sought to impose a 12-month formal warning and cancel my approved flying-instructor posting.

It stopped only after I retained Cameron Niven of Soldier's legal Counsel.

An ADF member should not need a civilian lawyer to stop a senior officer misusing command and exercising powers he did not properly have.

Yet Mr Niven is inundated by soldiers, sailors and airmen who say the system has been weaponised against them.

In one incident reported to him, a RAAF commanding officer initiated a termination process against an airman who parked in the Commanding officer's space.

That is petty authority armed with life-changing power.

Defence's own May 2026 Inspector General inquiry received 362 submissions. It found that weaponisation, while not widespread, "can and does occur at multiple" ADF levels; that rigid, inept or blind use of military justice can itself amount to weaponization; and that current fact finding is no longer fit for purpose.

It recommended stronger sanctions for deliberate abuse, including increasing the maximum penalty for prejudicing ADF discipline from three months to 12 months.

Defence has now admitted the disease exists.

Parliament must ensure it is treated.

The episode with my CO broke my trust and pushed me beyond the point where I could safely continue serving.

I sought an orderly solution: transfer to the reserves, repayment of any service debt and use of proper channels.

Instead, I met delay stonewalling, opacity and escalation.

Although entitled to seek medical discharge, I tried to remain available through the reserves should Australia face war or national emergency.

I failed to present for duty on second April 2024 amid a documented medical concerns and prior maladministration. My crime was taking unapproved sick leave.

My request for sick leave for that day was approved by the medical branch just days later, something I only found out through freedom of information.

Defence responded with that proportion, judgement or care.

Military and civilian police were sent to my home.

A five-year arrest warrant was issued.

An international pursuit used the ADF, AFP, DFAT, foreign agencies including the FBI and US Marshals.

Air Marshal Robert Chipman, now Vice-Chief of the Defence Force, oversaw and directed this persecution, assisted by Air Commodore Maria Brick.

Air Marshal Stephen Chappell continued it after becoming Chief of Air Force.

The pursuit failed, yet taxpayers continued funding a ten-day prosecution brought by Director of Military Prosecutions Air Commodore Ian Henderson.

In my case, an officer presented as independent has behaved like another marionette of the hierarchy.

This is irrational, emotional and incompetent—a pathetic display of institutional weakness, with senior officers saying yes to one another while taxpayers fund the consequences.

Yes-men do not win wars.

They lose them.

Air Marshal Chipman withheld critical information that medical staff had extended my sick leave, albeit late, and prevented a request for my input into a medical classification review from reaching me.

He sought to have my sick leave removed and denied me access to medical resources.

I was an ADF member stranded overseas with serious mental-health concerns and no access to Defence care.

More recently, I spent six weeks in hospital with acute mental-health issues.

Defence accused me of faking illness and sought an arrest warrant.

Will the senior officers responsible be reviewed?

Almost certainly not.

In the ADF's most senior officers cannot get the basics right in peacetime, why should Australians trust them in war?

I am increasingly less concerned about an enemy overseas than the enemy within: senior officers eroding the ADF from inside while protecting, rewarding and promoting their own.

Discipline is essential, but it must serve capability, fairness and good order.

The present system lets the hierarchy that mishandles the problem define it, control the record, escalate the response and declare its own conduct lawful.

This is rot from the top.

Senior officers mistake command for entitlement, discipline for domination and institutional loyalty for loyalty to each other.

They preach values downward and protect breaches upward.

This directly damages recruitment and retention.

Experienced members leave after watching senior officers reward compliance theatre, careerism and polished briefings over courage, competence and moral judgement.

Young Australians see the same conduct and decide not to enlist.

Australia needs a lethal, trusted and sustainable force, not one that treats injured or disillusioned members as administrative waste.

Defence Force Discipline reform cannot be cosmetic.

It must limit command discretion where liberty, reputation, medical vulnerability and civilian livelihood are at stake.

It must require independent scrutiny before serious escalation involving health concerns or maladministration; strict proportionality for warrants and external agency involvement; enforceable disclosure of exculpatory medical and administrative information; and consequences for senior officers who misuse the system.

Power without consequences becomes culture.

As an aside, there are so many meaningful and powerful statements in this letter. I'll continue with Daniel's words:

Culture without accountability becomes rot.

I wrote to Minister Matt Keogh and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles seeking reasonable intervention.

Mr Keogh's reply did not engage with the substance.

Mr Marles did not reply, and Freedom of Information material shows his office chose to ignore the matter.

When the hierarchy escalates and ministers look away, a member is left with lawyers, FOI requests, oversight complaints and public advocacy.

This bill would empower the Defence Minister to issue directions and guidelines concerning the Director of Military Prosecutions.

That power demands transparency, firm safeguards against political interference and scrutiny of any direction affecting prosecutorial independence.

Will ministers exercise moral courage or again protect the status quo?

My experience gives little cause for optimism.

The DFDA must not remain a managerial hammer that turns administrative failure into individual misconduct, allows senior officers to create harm and ignore warning signs, then punishes the member for breaking under pressure.

A Defence Force that does this is weak and morally corrupt.

What message reaches young Australians considering service?

"Join us.

We will hang you out to dry, protect our own and damage your civilian future if you become inconvenient."

Senior officers who permit that message to stand are sabotaging recruitment, retention and public trust.

A simple reform is 360-degree reporting: hold officers accountable to those they lead, not merely those whose approval advances their careers.

And, as an aside, again, this improves discipline. It doesn't take away authority from senior officers. Daniel continues:

Give subordinates a protected voice.

Promotion should require demonstrated competence and discipline, administration and complaint handling, as the IGADF itself recommends, and expose dysfunction concealed beneath polished reporting chains.

I also hold grave concerns for Australia's strategic sovereignty if Defence and government cannot acknowledge these failures in peacetime.

Officers prioritise careers.

The major parties look away.

I thank you, Senator Roberts, for listening not only to me but to others who have experienced institutional abuse, and for giving them a voice.

One Nation was once dismissed as marginal; its importance is now clear.

Labor and the Liberals have failed Australians for too long.

Another urgent issue is the IMPS and ROSO system.

Members should not escape reasonable service obligations: training costs money.

But outside war or national emergency, the Defence Regulation 2016 should prevent the ADF denying a transfer to the reserves where a member can repay the service debt.

Not every 17-year-old can safely complete an obligation lasting 14-and-a-half years. Treating volunteers as prisoners feeds abuse, increases harm and suicide risk, and drives away both serving members and potential recruits.

Despite my medical discharge in August 2025, Air Commodore Henderson is pursuing a ten-day Defence Force Magistrate trial against me at taxpayer expense, commencing 26 October at HMAS Moreton in Brisbane.

The trial is public.

I invite Australians to attend and decide whether they are witnessing proportionate discipline or a personal vendetta prosecuted with public money.

I ask you to support reform, but also to expose where this bill falls short.

If it leaves the same incentives and unaccountable power intact, the same abuses will continue under cleaner language.

Service members deserve a system worthy of their sacrifices.

Taxpayers deserve a Defence Force that spends public money on capability, not vendettas, theatrics and institutional face-saving.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Dare

I add: discipline, to be effective, must be based on truth, data and facts. It must be objective. It must be fair, proportionate and honest. How can a once-young man have his career crippled by military justice? How? That's the question. There's much more work that needs to be done with Defence, but we will be supporting this bill.

I rise to speak on the Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 1) Bill 2026. I state from the outset that the opposition will support this bill. I want to thank Senator Roberts for bringing those personal letters, personal stories, to the fore to remind us of why it is so important to support this bill today. The coalition recognise the importance of reform in this area. We took to the last election a promise, a commitment, to support reform and to support the recommendations of the royal commission into veteran suicide. We have here in this chamber, in this parliament, an obligation to support the men and women—and their families—who put their lives on the line, are committed to putting their lives on the line and make sacrifices and to do all we can to support them during their service and after their service. We have a solemn responsibility to treat them with dignity, respect and fairness, and this bill seeks to do that. After the harrowing time that the veteran and Defence community has had this year—the consistent slaps in the face—I want to thank the Labor government for finally bringing something to this chamber that everybody can get behind.

This bill seeks to implement several recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, which was established by the coalition in July of 2021. We established it because we wanted to understand why so many serving personnel and veteran personnel were, sadly, taking their own lives. We wanted to identify the reforms that would address that problem. The royal commission identified systemic shortcomings and a need for greater accountability, and it was clear that we needed meaningful reform. It was clear that we need to do better by those who defend our nation, our families and our way of life.

The core of this bill seeks to reduce harm and suicide risk for Defence members involved in military justice processes. Our military justice system has a critical role in maintaining discipline in the Defence Force. Critically, purposefully, it is separate from the civilian justice system. But, when disciplinary matters are not resolved efficiently, fairly or transparently, there can be very serious consequences for morale. There can be uncertainty in the system and strain on personnel, and confidence in the system can crash. Relationships within the units can become strained. This is what this bill is trying to address. The coalition supports the principle that the military justice system should be capable of responding appropriately and compassionately to mental health issues while also maintaining procedural fairness and good order and discipline. The royal commission identified inefficiencies in the existing framework, and there needs to be a simplification of the processes.

I want to foreshadow a couple of concerns that I have with the bill, noting that we do support it. I want to foreshadow that I will be submitting some amendments today in relation to schedule 5, which Senator Roberts just raised and which is about the extra powers for the Minister for Defence to direct the Director of Military Prosecutions in matters relating to military prosecutions. My concern is that there is not sufficient oversight, transparency or safeguards in that particular provision, which was not a recommendation of the royal commission, to ensure that the minister uses those powers fairly, judiciously and without political interference. So I foreshadow that I will be moving some amendments in relation to that particular schedule.

I also have concerns about the broadening of the definition of 'investigating officer' so that a civilian can be appointed to oversee investigations in the military justice system. My understanding is that that would be best placed just in relation to sexual offences—which the royal commission was, in large part, focused on.

I will be watching closely and maintaining scrutiny of how this government implements that particular schedule in this bill, because it is important to maintain separation between the civilian justice system and the military justice system. It was purposefully designed in that way. But, overall, we do recognise the importance of trying to modernise the military justice system and make it efficient, fair and compassionate to our serving members.

The coalition will continue to scrutinise the implementation of these reforms closely. We will engage constructively with the government and stakeholders—the defence community and the veteran community. We will monitor the operation of this legislation. The most important thing not just for the coalition but for everybody in this chamber and the other house is to make sure that we reform the system. We do not want to see one more death by suicide in our defence community or veteran community because the system works against them. That is our obligation here, and we will always stand by that. I commend the bill.

I rise to speak today on the Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 1) Bill 2026 bill. As foreshadowed, the coalition is supporting this bill. The bill will amend the minister's power to issue guidelines and directions to the Director of Military Prosecutions and on the engagement of civilian contractors. It seeks to reduce the harm and suicide risk for members engaged in the military justice system, ensure fairness for Defence Force personnel involved in military justice proceedings and align military discipline proceedings with community expectations of the basic fairness and transparency found in the civilian justice system.

I rise today as the wife of a war veteran. My husband was deployed to Iraq. So I think these types of things are just so important. The coalition believe that we have a responsibility to care for the physical and mental wounds of our Defence Force personnel, of our veterans past and present and of future generations still to come.

This bill will provide the necessary framework to implement recommendations 18, 20, 23, 34 and 63 of the royal commission. The royal commission was established by a former coalition government in 2021. The royal commission was established after the coalition listened to community calls for a national inquiry focusing on the systemic issues faced by Defence Force members and veterans that could result in suicide.

I will take the liberty here of mentioning that the coalition is very happy that the Labor government have walked back their $5,000 cap on allied health services this morning. That cap was going to have a huge impact on the mental health and wellbeing of veterans right across the country. The cap should never have been put in place in the first place. It is such a shame that so many veterans had to come here to Canberra to fight their own government for the care they deserved. Many of these veterans were injured in service to our country, and the least we as a nation can do is give them the care they need to heal from and live with those wounds that were inflicted upon them in service to us.

The coalition, in establishing the royal commission, stated that its aim was to shed light on the critical steps needed to reduce the heartbreaking cases of suicide. We said this because we have seen far too many of our brave men and women who serve, and have served, this nation with pride succumb to the battle with the invisible wounds of their service. In fulfilling this mandate, the royal commission identified serious issues that demand a considered and constructive response. It's clear from the findings that we must do better by those who defend us, our families and our very way of life. As parliamentarians, we have an obligation to our Defence Force and we have an obligation to our veteran community to ensure that issues identified by the royal commission are acknowledged and that the necessary action is taken. This is exactly what the coalition has been doing.

Last year, the coalition supported the legislation to establish the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission, which was recommendation 122 of the royal commission. In doing so, we listened to the serious concern raised by veteran advocates on Labor's last-minute legislation for the commission. We engaged with key advocacy groups to understand the impacts of Labor's approach, including the Families of Veterans Guild, the Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans' Association and the Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex Servicemen and Women.

At the last election, the coalition committed to implementing the agreed response to the royal commission, delivering better outcomes for men and women currently in the ADF and our veterans, and brought a comprehensive policy to the election. We remain committed to addressing the unacceptably high rates of suicide amongst our Defence Force and veteran communities.

As stated, this bill amends the minister's power to issue guidelines and directions to the Director of Military Prosecutions. Our military justice system is the integral framework that underpins military discipline and command, and the coalition has a long history of actively reforming military discipline in Australia. The former coalition government introduced reforms to modernise the Defence Force Discipline Act, streamlining the handling of minor disciplinary matters and strengthening Defence's response to cyberbullying, sending a clear message that bullying, harassment and unacceptable behaviour have no place anywhere within the Australian Defence Force.

Any change to our military justice system must strengthen accountability, protect personnel and the defence community and support the ongoing integrity of the Defence Force. The coalition understands that delays in resolving violations of military discipline adversely affect the morale, the welfare and the operational effectiveness of our defence forces. Prolonged uncertainty undermines confidence and places strain on serving personnel that can affect unit cohesion, trust and command authority.

Unresolved disciplinary matters may also have implications for the safety and wellbeing of defence personnel and the defence community. This is especially so when misconduct is serious in nature or impacts operational environments. A fair, effective and timely military system is essential in protecting personnel, maintaining discipline and ensuring the Defence Force remains capable, professional and, importantly, mission ready. Our service men and women deserve nothing less.

The minister has stated that this bill represents one of the most significant reforms to Australia's military discipline framework in decades, and that's why the coalition referred this legislation to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee for inquiry. While the coalition supports this bill in general, we have raised concerns with parts of this legislation.

Firstly, recommendation 18 of the royal commission advocated for strengthening of workplace protections during sexual misconduct investigations. The legislation before us goes beyond that recommendation. The government has not adequately demonstrated why this bill goes beyond the royal commission recommendation. This is why the coalition senators on the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee recommended the Australian government better justify its deviation from the royal commission.

Secondly, we are concerned that key elements in this bill, such as the access to members' medical records, will be dealt with in regulations. Implementing the Defence Mental Health Tribunal framework through primary legislation would provide a more rigorous review in the context of members' rights to privacy, agency over their own judicial process and confidence that they will be fairly treated.

While the coalition continues to hold concerns about several provisions contained within this bill, we recognise the broader objective it seeks to achieve and the importance of advancing reforms that respond to the findings of the royal commission. After considering the bill as a whole, the coalition has determined that our veterans and Defence Force personnel are best served by supporting its passage. Implementing the recommendations from the royal commission is a critical and long-overdue step towards addressing systemic shortcomings, strengthening public confidence and improving outcomes for those who rely on these services. While legislation alone will not resolve every challenge, this bill represents an important contribution to the reform process and provides a foundation upon which further improvements can be built. There is still significant work ahead to ensure these reforms are implemented effectively, efficiently and in a manner that delivers tangible benefits on the ground. The coalition will continue to engage constructively with stakeholders, monitor the operation of these reforms and hold the government to account for their delivery.

The men and women of the Defence Force serve our nation with honour and bravery, with more than half a million Australians having served or currently serving. Indeed, the Australian way of life that we enjoy today has been secured through the enduring service, courage and sacrifice of the men and women in uniform who have defended our nation. Through armed conflict, natural disaster and peacekeeping missions, members of the ADF have consistently served with professionalism and distinction. In doing so, our ADF personnel have provided vital support to communities in need, contributed to international security and upheld Australia's responsibilities at home and abroad. Accordingly, in recognition of their service and sacrifice, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that Defence Force members and veterans are treated with respect and dignity and receive appropriate support.

This bill implements five of the 122 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. One of the recommendations not made by this royal commission was to establish a $5,000 cap on veterans' allied health care. This point is often lost on those opposite, who tried to put this cap in place to save $748 million in their budget. Because Labor couldn't control their own budget and their own spending, they came after our hardworking service personnel and our veterans who served this nation with dignity and with bravery. Labor came after them for a tax cap. As I said earlier, the coalition is happy to see that Labor have walked back that cap, but these brave men and women should never have had to come to Canberra. They should never have had to fight their own government to receive the care and the services that they need.

How we treat those who serve and protect us is the mark of us as a nation, and it was disgusting that this Labor government put a cap on what services and health care they could receive after serving Australia, keeping us all safe and protecting our very way of life. I was pleased to stand with those veterans as they came here and brought their fight to Canberra, a fight that they never should have had. As I've said, the coalition will be supporting this bill. We do raise those concerns, but we don't want to stand in the way of making sure that veterans have the services that they need.