Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Riverina for his contribution to this debate in this place today. I rise to take note of the government's response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide's interim report. This response was tabled by the Minister for Veterans Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel back on 26 September. I've been eagerly awaiting the inclusion of this item of business as it provides me with the opportunity to speak in further detail about the interim report and the government's response, particularly towards some of the recommendations made through the interim report.

On that note, I thank the Minister for Veterans Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel for presenting the government's response to the interim report to the House. It provides a hopeful pathway forward to addressing what can only be described as a national tragedy. I hope to provide the House with some additional context concerning the importance of the interim report and the government's response in relation to my electorate of Spence, and provide further updates concerning our pathway toward building a veterans wellness hub in Spence.

But, first, I am very pleased as to the nature of the debate thus far, not to mention the bipartisan nature on legislation or motions that have been before the House in the 47th Parliament that concern Australia's defence personnel and veterans. It is because of this fact that I do not wish to have my remarks appear to be indecorous when I note for the purpose of providing historical context to the establishment of this royal commission the fact that the former Prime Minister, the member for Cook, credits himself with being responsible for its creation—crediting himself as if he wasn't dragged across figurative hot coals to perform a job that only a Prime Minister can do and establish a royal commission.

Amongst the groups dragging the member for Cook, when Prime Minister, towards the right result were numerous veteran and service groups; members and senators on all sides of politics, some of whom are still here and some of whom are not; and, most sincerely with the cause, family members of former defence personnel who have sadly taken their own lives as they tried to adjust to civilian life. One of the notable individuals who campaigned and pressured the Prime Minister to act was, of course, Julie-Ann Finney, a remarkable individual who, in the face of her son's tragedy, took it upon herself to find a way for others with family who are actively serving or former serving defence personnel not to go through the unbearable pain she had gone through. I note that the Minister for Defence Personnel and Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the member for New England both noted her courage, tenacity and lobbying efforts to force the former Prime Minister's hand in creating this royal commission. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge her efforts as well.

I note that the many members of the opposition who were around in the 46th Parliament are supportive of this royal commission and veterans issues more broadly, so I do not intend to lump them in with the former leader. Now, moving forward, we can all work to gather to achieve some common goals that the interim report of this royal commission has highlighted.

It goes without saying that losing a member of the ADF during wartime is as much a tragedy as losing a veteran who has ended their own life years after ceasing active service. Many experience variations of post-traumatic stress disorder from what they have seen during their active duty, and others experience compounding difficulties with going back to civilian life. I note with a great deal of concern a recent report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which notes that in veterans and serving ADF members who have served since 1985 ex-serving males are on average 27 per cent more likely to die by suicide than Australian males. Ex-serving males who separate for involuntary medical reasons have higher rates of suicide than males who separated voluntarily. I also note that the figures for women are even higher. There is no circumstance where these figures can be deemed acceptable.

These statistics are only a drop in the bucket of some being collated parallel to the royal commission. These figures on their own are not just utterly upsetting to hear but also a lingering source of national shame until we have taken proper steps to identify solutions and implement them. The Albanese Labor government's response to many of the interim report recommendations tells me that we are making some good first steps. As Australians, we must take proactive steps to safeguard the wellbeing of those who serve and those that have served. It is the least we can do for their service, their answer of the call to duty and their sacrifice.

This issue is one that is dear to me not only due to my service in the reserves—I see many people I served with go through the same difficulties, faced by both defence personnel and veterans, that are outlined in this interim report—but also due to the veteran and defence population within my electorate of Spence. I would be remiss if I did not mention the fact that Spence is home to RAAF Base Edinburgh, a place I've had the privilege of visiting and hope to visit many times in the future. I'd also note that there are, according to the latest available figures, 3,820 Department of Veterans Affairs clients that call my electorate of Spence home. This is the highest number of DVA clients for any South Australian electoral division.

This number is closer to 16,000 when you look to factor in those veterans and their families who are resident in suburbs that are directly adjacent to my electorate of Spence, which borders the divisions of Barker, Gray, Makin and Mayo. Especially now, in the event of the interim report and the government's response to it, we can see the tangible benefits of a comprehensive veterans wellness centre located within the northern suburbs of Adelaide. It is yet another reason why I'm proud to be part of an Albanese government that is committed to building a veteran wellbeing centre within my electorate of Spence. I thank the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel for working closely with me on this undertaking, along with the efforts and assistance of the member for Blair prior to my election to this place. I thank you both for seeing the same need as I did for this project and for helping me to make the veterans wellness hub a reality.

Beyond Spence and the wellness hub, there were several recommendations made by the interim report worth discussing, because they would, over time, greatly reduce the anxiety, frustration and isolation that many veterans experience once they have left the ADF. Sadly, this is to do with reforms that improve the Department of Veterans' Affairs and, to an extent, the Department of Defence itself. DVA is, after all, a department that is tasked with providing a different level of support to veterans beyond the equivalent that would be offered by government to someone who wasn't a veteran. But, if you ask a handful of veterans amongst your electorates when you return home after the sitting week, you will hear a very different story. If they themselves are not in what they would often describe as something like trench warfare with DVA, they will certainly know a mate in the community who has had a run-in or two with the agency. Many veterans and their families are left feeling distressed, isolated, powerless and frustrated after many of their dealings with DVA over the years. I do emphasise the word 'years', especially in relation to the backlog of claims made through the various forms of military compensation legislation that is currently churning through our system. This is unacceptable, and it did not require a royal commission in order to tell us that something needed to change.

I commend the bravery of those who have shared their experiences with the royal commission, whether they are serving currently or have served or they are the families of our veterans. It must not have been easy, but a spotlight needed to be shone on this crisis. It saddens me to say that, for too many veterans and defence personnel, this interim report—and, indeed, the royal commission itself—arrived far too late, marking a tragedy that their families will continue to endure. It is a wound to Australia's soul that won't heal until these issues are adequately addressed. We as a nation can do better, and I have no doubt that we have a government in charge now that knows that the job to fix this system for the better will begin long before the eventual release of the royal commission's final report. In fact, it began long before the release of this interim report, too.

With some closing remarks, I would like to acknowledge the service of members in this place. There are 21 of us who have previously served: Senator Davey, the member for Leichardt, Senator Fawcett, the member for Solomon, the member for Canning, the member for Mitchell, the member for New England, the member for Kennedy, Senator Lambie, the member for Hasluck, Senator McLachlan, Senator Molan, the member for Braddon, Senator Reynolds, the member for Fadden, the member for Maribyrnong, the member for Herbert, Senator Whish-Wilson, the member for Clark and the member for Menzies, who is also my co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Veterans. Thank you for your service.

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