Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In 1914 Laurence Binyon penned his famous poem 'For the Fallen'. The poem is familiar to us all, even if we don't know all seven verses. The fourth stanza of the poem is recited around the world, especially in Australia and New Zealand, at every remembrance ceremony, on every Anzac Day and also at every RSL and service club at 7 pm. It reads:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

They are powerful words. Indeed, I don't think there's ever been a better elegy written. The final words of verse 4 are a powerful instruction and, indeed, a command for future generations. We will remember them and can never forget their sacrifice.

In remembering those who've fallen, we are also charged with ensuring that those who did come home are cared for. According to the 2021 census, there are around 85,000 currently serving ADF personnel and over 496,000 ex-serving personnel. Each deserves the very highest level of support from a grateful nation.

The welfare of veterans is a very real issue in the electorate of Werriwa. My electorate is home to the now decommissioned Ingleburn Army base, while, on my other boundary, there is the former Moorebank Army base and the currently-in-use Holsworthy Barracks. The presence of these facilities means the welfare of veterans, past and present, and their families feature large in my community and in my community engagement. Hence, I'm delighted to speak on the bill before us today, the Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024.

In August 2022, the interim report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was released. It was difficult reading and highlighted way too many shortcomings in the way our nation delivers services to its veteran community. The report noted, sadly, that the current system of veterans entitlement was too complex, which tragically adversely impacts on the mental health of some veterans and their families. This bill seeks to address this matter, which was the first recommendation of the commission's report.

Under the current model, veterans entitlements are determined under one or more of three primary compensation acts. This has created an overly cumbersome and complex system that can be extremely difficult to navigate. The bill addresses this situation by streamlining the number of acts the department administers from three to one. The end result will be a hugely simplified claims processing system for veterans and their families.

To support the single-act model, two of the current acts, the Veterans' Entitlements Act and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act, will continue in a limited form until 1 July 2026. At that time, the new provisions of this bill will commence. This timeframe ensures that the veteran community will be well informed about the changes and what they mean for them.

The bill also introduces a range of enhancements to the veterans entitlement, which means that no veteran—not one—will be worse off under this legislation. These enhancements include: increasing a cap on the funeral expenses from $2,000 to $3,000; introducing a new payment called the additional disablement amount, which will benefit veterans who are over pension age with significant service related impairments; forming a legislative base for the Repatriation Commission to accept liability based on the presumption that the person's defence service caused their injury and that will operate by providing the commission with an instrument-making power to specify the relevant injuries or diseases; and providing a higher travel reimbursement amount, regardless of the kilometres, when a private vehicle is being used for treatment. The funding for these and other enhancements were included in the May 2024 budget.

The royal commission in September delivered its final report. The government welcomes the report and will respond to the new recommendations as appropriate. In the meantime, we need to do all we can to support those who have done so much for our country.

Every day, at 4.30 pm, the Australian War Memorial holds a last post ceremony. The national anthem is played, followed by the piper's lament, and then wreaths are laid. This is then followed by the sharing of the story of one of the names on the Roll of Honour. The ode is recited, and then, finally, the ceremony ends with the sounding of the last post. It's a beautiful ceremony—solemn and poignant. It reminds us all, young and old, that the freedoms we enjoy come at a great cost. The ceremony also reminds us of our obligation to care for those who returned, to care for those who continue to serve and to care for their families.

An anonymous writer once noted, 'Anzac Day is not just a remembrance of the past; it is a call to action to uphold the values and principles that the Anzacs fought for.' A grateful nation owes our veteran community nothing less than the very best support we can offer. Further, it needs to heed the call to action by ensuring those who have served and do serve now know that the government has their back every step of the way. This bill does that and starts an important step in the journey of addressing the royal commission's recommendations.

I commend the bill to the House.

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