Louise Miller-Frost (Boothby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the previous speaker, the member for Herbert, for his service and all others in this place and the other place who have served. Two weeks ago we commemorated Remembrance Day. I was in Canberra on Remembrance Day. At 11 am we paused, as did people across this land, to reflect on the enormous sacrifice paid by those who have served and those who have died to protect Australians, our country and our way of life. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month marks the formal cessation of hostilities in World War I in 1918. But on this day we remember, we reflect, and we honour all Australians who have served and all who have fallen in our name. I, along with a number of colleagues, attended a very moving ceremony here in Parliament House and I was represented by staff at a number of ceremonies across Boothby, at Centennial Park, at Colonel Light Gardens RSL, and at the William Kibby Veterans Shed. I would also like to recognise Blackwood RSL and President Jack Mcguire and the Plympton Glenelg RSL and President Bill Hignett. Plympton Glenelg RSL was the driving force behind the Veteran Wellbeing Centre at the repat hospital in Boothby. This centre, run by SA Health, runs a range of services for veterans through Open Arms, Soldier On and the RSL, and they provide confidential assistance across a number of different areas. I would encourage any veterans needing assistance in the area to reach out to them.

I would like to specifically reflect on the William Kibby Veterans Shed. This is a local facility run by Barry Heffernan. It serves many veterans in the local community who are really struggling. It accepts anyone, no matter where their life has taken them after they have left service, and it helps them get on their feet. I have enjoyed a number of coffees and chats Barry and I'm really impressed with his acceptance of everyone and his commitment to make lives better.

Campaigning in Boothby I heard from many veterans and their families and loved ones about the difficulties they had in accessing help when they needed it. I heard from so many veterans that they put in a claim to the Department of Veterans' Affairs and they were still waiting, sometimes up to 18 months. Their families and loved ones told me that they'd been suffering for years. They had waited until they really couldn't bear it anymore before they put the claim in. To then have to wait in silence, to have no response from the government they had served, just added more distress to their lives. I am really pleased that the Albanese government has funded an additional 500 public servants into the Department of Veterans' Affairs to get these claims moving again, to get them assessed.

Just last week in Senate estimates the Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs was asked by Senator Nita Green when the backlog of claims would have been dealt with if they had not received the additional 500 public servants. The secretary answered, 'Never.' In its report, McKinsey said: 'Unless we had an injection of staff, it would never be cleared. The list would just have kept growing. The backlog of claims was never going to be cleared.' Last year, when I wrote to the former Minister for Veterans' Affairs on behalf of veterans in distress in my electorate, I got no response. Now I know why. That's shocking, that's appalling, to say we are honouring those who served but we are not there when they actually need our help as a result of their service. Words fail me—to imagine overseeing this lack of service, leaving people in pain and distress.

To those veterans who waited for their claims: I'm sorry. We value your service but we also value you not just on Remembrance Day but every day. Please reach out if you need assistance. We will be there for you. Lest we forget.

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