Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Members of the Australian Ex-Services Atomic Survivors Association were present at a morning tea, which I held with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, at the Belmont RSL last week—at the end of budget week. It was fantastic to have the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the member for Wannon, join me to update members on how the coalition government is delivering essential services to secure the future of our veterans. This year's budget provides funding that will allow for all past and current service personnel to gain easier access to free mental health support services, which will directly impact the 884 veterans and their families in my electorate of Swan.

In addition to this, $148.3 million will be invested to undertake reforms of the DVA, meaning shorter wait times and claim times for our veterans. As I said, members of the Australian Ex-Services Atomic Survivors Association were present at the morning tea. The association's president, Mr Rex Kaye, spoke on the members' experiences and the impact their work had had on them, their health and their families. Mr Kaye went on to publicly thank the minister for the $133 million in funding that was announced in the budget to fund gold cards for all veterans exposed to radiation during military service. I would like to thank Mr Kaye for sharing his story with me at the morning tea, and I would also like to thank the minister for coming out to Western Australia and for his ongoing work and strong advocacy for our veterans in Western Australia and Australia.

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