Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank all members for their contributions to this debate. I'd also like to acknowledge the cooperation of the member for Blair and the whips on both sides of the aisle for ensuring that this bill could be dealt with in this place, and hopefully in the Senate, tonight. As the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel, I've seen firsthand the critical and fundamental role that families play in supporting the capability of our defence force and the wellbeing of defence members.

The Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Family Support) Bill 2022 demonstrates the Australian government's commitment to responding to recommendation 19 of the final report of the Senate inquiry into suicide by veterans, The constant battle: suicide by veterans, tabled in parliament on 15 August 2017. It also responds to the 2019 Productivity Commission report, A better way to support veterans, to ensure veterans and their families are supported to the best of our ability.

This bill expands the services available, and allows families greater choice in how they use services provided through the existing family support package introduced in 2018 in direct response to their feedback. The enhanced family support package will be available to more veteran families through expanded eligibility, benefiting approximately 900 veterans and their families in the first year of the program. Intensive support will become available for families to adjust to new or challenging life circumstances, complementing other Department of Veterans' Affairs and Australian government services.

The enhanced family support package will provide at-risk families of injured or ill veterans under 65 years of age with up to $12,500 over two years to spend on a range of services that meet their health and wellbeing needs. In addition, families with children will be able to access a further $10,000 per year for each child under school age, and $5,000 per year for each primary school aged child, until the child reaches high school age. Veterans will no longer require warlike service nor be undertaking a rehabilitation plan to be eligible. Under this initiative, the family support package will be expanded to support widows and widowers under all three acts that support veterans, where the veteran's death was due to their service. This package provides widowed partners under 65 years of age up to $27,835 each year for two years. Widowed partners with children will have access to the additional amounts each year to tailor support for their health and wellbeing needs.

Australia owes an enormous debt of gratitude to all of our veterans and their families. This bill provides vitally important new measures to better help and assist their wellbeing. We should always remember that the freedoms we exercise in this House, and which many so often take for granted, have for generations been protected and guarded by our men and women in uniform. These are patriotic Australians who've done their duty and love their country. May we never forget this, and may we—all of us—do everything within our power to support them and their families. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.

See this speech in context