Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The government's policy is as announced yesterday by the Deputy Prime Minister and me. As we both said yesterday in very clear terms, we are extending eligibility for people to apply to join the Defence Force to those that are permanent residents from New Zealand from 1 July next year and from Five Eyes nations from 1 January if they've been here for a year as a permanent resident, haven't served in a foreign military, are otherwise eligible for citizenship and, of course, pass all the relevant security vetting requirements.

What's really important about this policy and very important about the question just asked by the member for Canning is: not only is that the government's policy; it's a policy that the member for Canning also endorsed in May of last year, when he went out saying that we should be increasing recruitment from noncitizens of Australia. He endorsed this policy. In fact, when I spoke about this policy in January of this year, he came out and endorsed my comments, calling for this policy. I thank the opposition for their support of the government's policy as the Deputy Prime Minister and I announced.

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