Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I begin by commending the minister on his statement in September and his timely response to the interim report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The royal commission that the last coalition government dithered and delayed in establishing is now well under way. I have to say, it was long overdue and it is somewhat disappointing that the Morrison government did in fact procrastinate in establishing it. That more serving and former defence personnel suicided over the past 20 years than were lost in the Iraq and Afghanistan over the same period is indeed a damning statistic. That it took so long for the Morrison government to react is equally deplorable. However, it has not just been the governments that have failed our defence personnel over the years'; it has also been the defence chiefs and the heads of the relevant government departments who have also failed our serving and former defence servicemen and women.

While I welcome all of the measures referred to in the minister's statement, I believe what is also required is a change of culture throughout the sectors entrusted with caring for current and past defence members. Without a change of attitude from those entrusted with our Defence Force members' care, the measures announced by the minister will not be as effective as they otherwise would be. Some defence veterans have said to me that a culture change will only come if those at the top are replaced. I contrast the attitude of the paid officials with that of the many volunteer groups with whom I have worked over the years, who work with very little resources to do so much to support our present and past defence personnel. I refer to the Tea Tree Gully, Salisbury and Northfield RSL organisations in the Makin electorate and I am sure there are similar organisations right throughout the country. In my region we also have the northern branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association, the Para District sub branch of the National Servicemen's Association, the Peter Badcoe Ex-Military Rehabilitation Centre, the military and historical vehicles museum and the team of Operation Unity led by Bill Bates and supported by a small band of volunteers. Earlier this year, Operation Unity presented a combined sum of $16,000 dollars to Trojan's Trek, Legacy SA and Broken Hill and Operation K9. All three of those recipients provide support services to defence veterans and their families and they do so, again, relying on their own band of volunteers with very little financial support. I work for many of those organisations and, in fact, with just about all of them, I was there when they were established. They came together because they saw a need that was not being met by the very department for which our defence veterans had previously served. They saw the need because they were all former veterans. Because no-one else was providing the support of the members and their families, all of those groups—and again, I expect there would be similar groups throughout the country—came into being to try and fill that gap. In doing so, I know they have made an incredible difference to the lives of the people they have been able to work with. But of course, their resources are limited and they cannot provide the same level of services to all the defence veterans around the country. Each year, some 6,000 serving men and women leave the service, so when you look at the total numbers around Australia you can appreciate the magnitude of those who need support.

I also acknowledge the work of Dr Glen Edwards. Dr Edwards served as a medic in Vietnam. After Vietnam, he studied psychology. He went on to write two books about the Vietnam War service and the psychological after-effects of that war. Those two books, titled The War Within and Beyond Dark Clouds, provide an insight into the effects of war and the struggles of veterans and their families. Using his personal war experience and his studies, Dr Glen Edwards has devoted much of his life to working with veterans who are struggling with the psychological after-effects of military service. Again, I applaud Dr Edwards because I know that through his work many, many veterans have been able to get on with their lives. I've spoken at length with him on several occasions. I had the privilege of launching one of his books. I know how devoted he has become, as a result of his service in Vietnam, to supporting his fellow servicemen and women. Again, Dr Glen Edwards doesn't do it because he's funded to do so; he does it because he cares.

The impact of war service on veterans and their families has been well known for years. Whether it's suicide, homelessness, alcohol and drug abuse or family break-ups, these are all too common amongst veterans. Indeed, I understand there were some 50 previous reports dealing with veteran service. Out of those reports there were some 750 recommendations, and the reality is very few of those reports ever saw the light of day and very few of those recommendations were ever adopted. It is time to stop turning a blind eye and stop pretending the problems will go away. That is why I welcome the statement from the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel. I welcome his commitment to increasing defence staff by around 500 and a range of other measures he has announced which will make a difference to our defence personnel and their families, such as the establishment of veterans hubs around the country, increasing housing support for our defence families and increasing the funding that goes towards all the services required by the veterans and their families, who suffer equally. And support will be provided by additional staff in the administration of defence services around the country.

I'll be attending a veterans' event when I get back to Adelaide as one of my first public events. From my experience and from my discussions with veterans, there is a widespread common sentiment among veterans—that is, once their service ends, they are provided with inadequate support services. They feel abandoned. There's no transition advice or support provided to them. For those veterans who directly served in military conflict, who witnessed the horrors of wars, who saw their mates wounded or killed, who saw civilians slaughtered, those experiences will be traumatic and life-changing. It will affect the character of them all. For all those reasons, their service is unique and, because it is unique, they need those services that they have been calling for for so long. Our veterans deserve better. They deserve more than words and thank yous. The minister's statement for funding, staffing and housing commitments is very welcome. I commend minister's statement to the House.

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