Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As we consider the bill before us today, the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 2) Bill 2018, and in particular its first two schedules, we should be reminded of the challenge which these important measures aim to address. My electorate of Fisher is fortunate enough to be home to a great many ex-service men and women. Our healthy lifestyle and environment, our welcoming and friendly community and our vibrant RSL clubs make the coast a perfect place to enjoy civilian life. Estimates of the number of veterans on the Sunshine Coast vary, but in 2016 RSL Queensland assessed the figure at more than 15,000.

Sadly, however, even on the Sunshine Coast, life after service for those who have risked their lives in the defence of our nation can be extremely challenging. For anyone, such a dramatic change of circumstances, from the rigours of a highly structured military life to the casual independence of the civilian world, would be difficult to assimilate. I recognise the service you've given this country, Mr Deputy Speaker Hastie, and I'm sure that the debate that you'll hear this afternoon will ring true for you. For all of us, any life transition of that magnitude, from leaving home to changing state, can lead to an increased risk of poor mental health. For many service men and women, however, this transition is made all the more difficult by their experiences in the ADF. For those who have served this country in uniform, who've spent long and worrying periods away from their families or who've seen the painful impacts that conflict can have on innocent civilians, the effects can be devastating.

The Turnbull government has been exceptionally alive to the issue of veterans' mental health and has commissioned a series of reports which have demonstrated the true scale of the challenge. The government's Transition and Wellbeing Research Program study Mental health prevalence, released this year, showed how widespread poor mental health is among our veterans. Forty-six point four per cent of transitioned ADF members were estimated to have experienced a mental disorder in the past 12 months alone. Of those, more than a third had experienced an anxiety disorder, with nearly one in five suffering from PTSD. Others suffered from depression and substance dependency. Almost three-quarters were estimated in the report to have suffered from a mental disorder at some point in their life. This accords with previous government research which showed that in 2013, of the 148,000 veterans with service related disabilities being supported by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, 46,400—almost a third—were living with an accepted mental health disorder. The Mental health prevalence report also showed the stark contrast between veterans and the wider population. Reporting of high or very high psychological distress among transition members of the ADF, at 33.1 per cent, is nearly three times higher than in the wider Australian community. Sadly, in just past the 12 months, 28.9 per cent of transitioned ADF—more than a quarter—had felt that their life was not worth living.

The government's second report this year, Incidence of suicide in serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel, has found that, in far too many cases, this feeling has the worst possible consequences. The report found that in the 14 years between 2001 to 2015 there were 325 deaths by suicide among people who'd served in the ADF for at least one day since 2001. It should—and will be—a distressing statistic for all of our constituents: 325 men and women who volunteered to serve and to protect us all have since come to feel that they have no option but to take their own lives. Unfortunately, in reality, there were no doubt more, as data is not available for those who served before 2001.

When explored in more detailed, the statistics reveal once again that the transition to civilian life is where we can make the biggest difference. Men currently serving in the ADF or in the Reserves have a significantly lower suicide rate than men in the general population—I say 'men' because this study only dealt with men, because there were no actual statistics of women having committed suicide. Benefitting from the company of their fellow servicemen and servicewomen, and with the excellent work the ADF undertakes to support its soldiers through unimaginably stressful experiences, current personnel are 53 per cent less likely to die by suicide than their peers. However, among male veterans, the suicide rate was 14 per cent higher than for the equivalent general population. As I've said before, the day that a man leaves the armed forces his likelihood of death by suicide rises from 53 per cent lower than others his age to 14 per cent higher. If he is aged 18-24, he becomes twice as likely as his peers to die by his own hand after he discharges.

These figures have stayed stable since 2007, but the Mental health prevalence report shows that there are many more veterans potentially at risk. In the past 12 months, 21.2 per cent of transitioned members of the ADF had considered taking their own lives, and eight per cent had even made a specific plan to do so. It is this vital challenge that the first two schedules of this bill will help to address. The positive impact of the measures included in schedule 2 are clear. The Veteran Suicide Prevention Pilot will aim to support 100 ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen over the next two years. They pilot will work, in particular, with ex-ADF personnel who've been hospitalised following a suicide attempt, have considered suicide, or who are at increased risk of suicide as a result of ongoing mental health disorders. I'm particularly pleased to see that this pilot will take place in nine hospitals in Brisbane. I'm hopeful that, if these pilots are successful, we may see similar projects rolled out throughout South-East Queensland and in my own region of the Sunshine Coast in particular.

The impact of schedule 1 will be less direct but, I believe, just as effective. In the ADF servicemen and women have a mission; they have a sense of purpose and a rightful position of respect in our community. For too many when they leave the ADF, overnight these life-affirming— (Quorum formed) It is extremely disturbing that the Labor Party want to play petty party political games on an issue that is so important to this country and so important in relation to veterans. Very disappointing. Anyway, as I was saying, for too many when they leave the ADF, overnight these life-affirming benefits depart with the uniform. One day a young man or woman might be flying, driving or sailing multimillion-dollar or, in fact, multibillion-dollar equipment; however, upon discharge many struggle to get meaningful work. This contrast is one of the biggest factors leading to poor mental health among recently transitioned personnel.

The Turnbull government is already doing a great deal to make this transition more successful. I spoke about many of these measures at length during debate on the first veteran-centric reforms bill in February, so I'll not repeat the full list. Most recently, we've sought to change regulations so that the Department of Defence can inform the DVA directly and immediately when a serving member has become a veteran, and ensure that every service man and woman will be guaranteed access to the personal documentation that they need in civilian life before they are discharged. We have also invested $2.7 million in the Prime Minister's Veterans' Employment Program to help businesses understand the unique skills and attitudes ADF members have developed during their service. I look forward to seeing this currently modest initiative expand and develop in the not too distant future.

However, if we want to make a dramatic difference to the mental health of our former service men and women, I believe that education, and in particular tertiary education, is the answer. For those who are not leaving the ADF for a job or to start a business, entry into a degree or a vocational education course immediately gives veterans a new mission to accomplish and an organised path to tread. Once they reach that new goal and graduate, they will have significantly improved employment prospects. And, as we all know, the best form of welfare is a job.

As I've discussed in very positive meetings with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, ultimately I believe we should work towards what I call an assisted tertiary education for ADF veterans program, an ATEV. ATEV would support all eligible veterans to undertake a four-year university degree or vocational education course paid for by the Commonwealth. It would be Australia's equivalent of the famous US GI bill, which, for more than 50 years, has been paying for American veterans to go to university and which has seen 453,000 degrees earned since 9/11. Eventually, not only would such a program be a meaningful reward for service and a powerful recruiting tool; it could also dramatically improve mental health outcomes and reduce the need for more government support. I'll continue to advocate for an ATEV in the future. However, in the immediate term, there are actually already veterans who are benefitting from this kind of support, and schedule 1 of this bill will ensure that those veterans can make the most of the opportunity.

Currently, if a veteran is unable to work or has a reduced capacity to work as a result of an injury or illness which is related to their service, they are eligible to receive incapacity payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Where relevant, these individuals are placed into a rehabilitation plan to help them to increase their capability to return to paid employment. For some, this rehabilitation plan includes payment from the DVA to complete— (Time expired)

Mr Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave not granted.

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