Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to speak on behalf of the Labor Party on the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Family Support) Bill 2022. Labor supports this because we are backing veterans and their families. From the outset, I want to say families play a critical and fundamental role in supporting capability of our Defence Force and in the wellbeing of Defence Force members. We know on this side that if we want a strong and capable defence force operating at its best then we need the best possible care and support available for family members. The responsibility to care for the men and women of the Australian Defence Force, veterans and families currently rests with our generation. We must do everything we can to support them and to give them the care and treatment they deserve, and the best possible care and treatment our country can provide.

Labor joins with the government in recognising the unique challenges faced by these families. Supporting the partners and children of our defence personnel is an ongoing and evolving effort. This legislation responds to the recommendations of a final Senate report into suicide by veterans and ex-service personnel—a constant battle—which was initiated by Labor and responds also to the Productivity Commission's inquiry into veteran support, which recommended better family engagement and support by agencies. We welcome that the government has finally responded, albeit on the eve of an election. I might add, for the benefit of those who might be listening, this is a budget measure from 2021 that we are debating after the 2022 budget was handed down, so I chastise and criticise the government for their failure to bring this on earlier.

This package will be available to more working-age veteran families through expanded eligibility. It synchronises in large part the family support package, which is akin to an NDIS package, for people under 65 years of age, widows and widowers of Defence Force personnel. It harmonises the MRCA, DRCA and VA legislation—acronyms which would be very familiar to those in the defence community. I support the legislation. It will help families of veterans, widows and widowers. It will make sure that they get assistance. The package and the support will kick in on 1 July this year. This bill makes sure that there is a legislative framework there. We in Labor trust the government will do the legislative instruments it has said it requires to do to implement the enhanced family support package. We trust the government to do the right thing.

On this side of the chamber, we are committed to supporting veterans and their families. We want to make sure that our servicemen and women, veterans and their families, know that this country is proud of them, that our country will always be there for them and that we will back them in every step of the way.

On behalf of the Labor Party, I say we will support the legislation. I do say the government is tardy in bringing it forward and needs to do better. They need to better not just with the way they conduct themselves in this chamber in bringing legislation on this late in the day but also in making sure that they do in budgetary requirements. I support the legislation.

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