Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Braddon for his question and recognise his service in the Australian Army. I also recognise the way he's worked very positively and constructively to engage with veterans in his own community and throughout Australia.

It has been my privilege over the past three years as the veterans' minister to spend a lot of time with our current serving personnel but also our veterans, and I have got to appreciate the amazing work they do. I want to take this opportunity today to thank the Department of Veterans' Affairs staff and the ex-service organisations and volunteer groups who do such amazing work to support their mates on their transition. There is a real partnership, and we can be proud of the fact that over the past hundred years in this place we have worked together to develop a system of support that does look after our veterans and their families upon their transition.

I also take the opportunity to urge everyone in this place, and in the media as well, to please be part of the solution. The language we use when we talk about these matters is critically important. We need to be careful that we don't talk down the service in the Australian Defence Force. We need to be careful to make sure we don't talk down our veterans and their service to our nation, because the overwhelming majority of people who serve in the Australian Defence Force have a positive experience. They develop skills for life—things like leadership, problem solving, teamwork, resilience—and they are proud of that service. They have a difficult job and they do it remarkably well, whether it's in conflict situations or peacekeeping or humanitarian aid and disaster relief. They have a tough job and they do it very, very well.

But, for those who experience a level of physical injury or mental ill-health issues after their service, we have some obligations as well, as a grateful nation, to make sure they are properly supported. I believe this budget does help to meet that obligation. It builds on the system of support that was previously in place, and, in this next financial year, in the order of $11.8 billion of support will be provided to 325,000 veterans and their families. So I do thank the Prime Minister and the Treasurer for the support they have given me as we've sought to focus more and more on the wellbeing of veterans, to focus on the opportunities for them on transition and to reduce suicide in the veteran community. This budget will deliver $775 million in new initiatives, and they'll be programs that will build on our world-class system of support for veterans and their families.

The member for Braddon would be aware that there will be extra wellbeing centres for the Tasmanian community and South-East Queensland, and there will be an additional 440 APS staff added to the workforce, as we strive to reduce claim times for our veterans.

I'm the first to acknowledge that our system is not perfect. It does need reform, and we're working in a very constructive and positive way with the veteran community to achieve those reforms. We see the impending royal commission as a chance to unite our veteran community. We really do need to stop talking our veterans down. We need to focus on providing for them the hope, the optimism and the confidence that will help those veterans transition well and succeed in civilian life. I urge anyone who is troubled by the conversation today to please contact Open Arms on 1800011046.

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