Jason Falinski (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Those opposite ask for a point of order, yet the member for Eden-Monaro just spent 3½ minutes of a five-minute speech—that was meant to be about the benefits of the sacrifices that other Australians, their fellow Australians, make to serve on our behalf—talking about privatisation and labour hire funds. What is going on on that side of the House these days?

An opposition member: Have you listened to veterans?

Now they ask me if I listen to veterans. There is no government in the history of this federation—and I would expect the next one will do even more than we have for the veterans in this country.

An opposition member interjecting

The member opposite asks about how often they ask for a royal commission. It is this government that instituted a royal commission, after their government ignored it. We wanted to have a rolling commission on veterans' affairs. I speak to the northern beaches Veterans Centre, which is now the Veterans Centre Australia—

An opposition member interjecting

The snide remarks from those opposite will be noted by veterans in this country—the snide remarks from those opposite, who rather than spend time talking about the service and the sacrifice that fellow Australians make to defend our nation, talk about what the union donors would prefer them to talk about—

An opposition member: You're embarrassing, mate.

Now he says I'm embarrassing. I'm 'embarrassing' because I stand up for those serving in our Defence Force. I'm 'embarrassing' because I stand here as a member of a government that actually brought on a royal commission into veteran suicides while those opposite did nothing but make snide remarks, while those opposite did the bidding of their union donors and while those opposite talked about labour hire and privatisation. This government has invested and spent record amounts of money in veterans' welfare. Those in this government have done more to help those who have served our nation and continue to serve our nation—

An opposition member interjecting—

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