Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our thoughts and prayers are with those people who suffered so terribly and, of course, with their families. All of us who come to this place come not in isolation but with the aspirations, the thoughts, the love and the affection of our families and communities. We feel deeply that at these times we need put aside our partisan differences and work together. It is a great thing to travel through South-East Asia and to see the faces of young Australian tourists. Australians are beloved across the world for their sense of adventure, as the shadow minister for foreign affairs said, as well as for their sense of egalitarianism and mateship and for the friendship they show people from other countries. That is why we are a great country: we have accepted people from so many different walks of life. Many of us here come from families who, a generation or so ago, were of a non-Anglo background or are people whose parents were born overseas. My family comes from Germany. With a name like Neumann, you expect that, but just a few generations ago they came across in boats seeking a new life. Our thoughts and prayers are with those families who are suffering at the moment, who are wondering and who have a great deal of anxiety.

On the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2009, the bill we are dealing with here today, there are many people in our community who are concerned about the issues that I have just raised. For example, 130 submissions were made to the subcommittee chaired by the honourable member for Brisbane, there were six public hearings and 18 recommendations were made. I would urge the government to respond to the F111 deseal-reseal report tabled in parliament on 25 June 2009 as quickly as possible so there becomes certainty in terms of health, support and financial assistance to affected communities. There are people in my community who have seen me in relation to their concerns about those Australians who participated in the British nuclear tests and the Australian members of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force after World War II who were exposed to the effects of radiation. I would urge the government, who received 472 submissions in relation to the review of the Clarke review and recommendations, to look into this issue and expedite the response.

In its 2009-10 budget, the government provided a million dollars for a review of military rehabilitation compensation arrangements and a review into costs of pharmaceuticals for war caused disabilities. That funding will of course deliver on two commitments. The legislation that is before the House has three components, in particular. The first component deals with veterans affairs beneficiaries who live permanently overseas and have their veterans affairs payments paid into an Australian bank account. This can result in unusually high bank fees to transfer money internationally, and those of us who have transferred money internationally know how costly that can be. So the reform is a sensible suggestion allowing the monies to be paid into other bank accounts, in reliable banking systems overseas, to ensure that veterans do not suffer financial hardship or disadvantage in any way at all. In 2008 the Prime Minister made a commitment to review this injustice. The veterans communities living overseas warmly welcomed the funding, and I know the RSL and veterans communities locally in my electorate also warmly welcome that.

The second change that is in this particular budget measure is an interesting one but also an important one. I have spoken to personnel at the RAAF base at Amberley, and they have told me that what the government is doing in terms of the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme has been of tremendous assistance to them. In fact, I remember speaking to one particular fellow inside a C17 as we were flying down to Adelaide. He was telling me that simply the government’s reforms with respect to the assistance through the defence homeowners scheme was what prompted him to stay in the military for an extra few years. This scheme provides eligible Australian Defence Force members with access to subsidies on interest incurred on their home loans.

Eighty thousand children move across borders every year because their parents move across borders. In my electorate, which has about 3,500 RAAF and other military personnel—including personnel from 9FSB, the Army unit—at the RAAF base at Amberley, there are many children, spouses and partners who come with those military personnel to live in the Ipswich community. As they move to different postings around Australia and overseas it becomes difficult, if not problematic, for them to find a location to purchase a home. It is not always easy, and any form of assistance we can give, not just to permanent members of the ADF of but also to reservists, is good—I know that it is appreciated. It is important for recruitment and retention that we provide this.

ADF members can be eligible for assistance under one of three subsidy tiers, and I know that they appreciate very much the assistance we have given. This scheme was introduced in 1991, by a Labor government, to assist eligible members and ex-members of the ADF to purchase their homes by providing a subsidy on interest of a home loan borrowed from an approved lender. In those circumstances, that was the National Australia Bank. What this section of the bill does is to extend the insurance that can be provided to that scheme. It is important that the Defence Service Homes Insurance Scheme be provided in terms of assistance also to defence personnel.

The third aspect of this particular piece of legislation deals with closing off what really is quite an antiquated system of an outdated dependant pension, and paying a lump sum equivalent to three years of pension. Under previous repatriation legislation there were arrangements that payments could be a maximum of $8.42 for partners and widows, and $2.86 for children. The minimum payments were 84 cents and 29 cents, respectively. This pension was virtually frozen and no new grants have been made since 1985—it started in 1964—and what is happening here is simply a one-off payment equivalent to three years pension. I am pleased that it has bipartisan support. Entitlement under the old scheme will cease on 22 September 2009 and it is anticipated that the new lump sum will be paid on 24 September 2009. In the circumstances, this is a sensible budget measure and, along with a number of other budget measures it is undertaking, the government takes the view that savings of $4.2 million over four years can be sought and received by the Australian taxpayer, through better coordination and administrative efficiencies across programs and enhancements to service delivery.

These three changes in this legislation are important and they are sensible. I am glad they have got bipartisan support and I know that the 7,500 ADF and reserve members will benefit from the change with respect to insurance, which is a very popular measure. I know that it will go down well in my constituency of Blair, in southeast Queensland.

I think what the government has done in the veterans budget this year is really a demonstration of the government’s empathy towards the veterans community. What they have done with respect to the Clarke recommendations and the deseal-reseal parliamentary inquiry is a recognition of the health, family support and counselling needs of veterans and military personnel The government is really showing that it understands the needs of veterans and their families and is also showing a commitment to the personnel of the ADF.

I commend also the white paper and look forward to the 24 Super Hornets coming to RAAF Base Amberley in March 2010 and also the Joint Strike Fighters, of which the white paper recommends we purchase 100. The development of RAAF Base Amberley is important for the Ipswich community and certainly for the federal electorate of Blair. The reforms to the pension that were announced by the government on budget night and also in the legislation that the minister spoke about this morning are very important. In the circumstances, the 320,000 veterans and their spouses, widows and widowers will appreciate the support of the federal government. I commend the legislation to the House.

Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2009. The stated purpose of this bill is threefold. First, the bill seeks to amend the provisions for the payment of veterans affairs pensions and allowances. This amendment will provide for the payment of allowances into overseas bank accounts and will affect eligible veterans residing outside Australia. Second, the bill will extend the eligibility for the Defence Service Homes Insurance Scheme to persons eligible under the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme Act 2008. Third, the bill seeks to stop the payment of the majority of dependants pensions and provide for a lump sum payment of the pension, the value of which is to be the equivalent to three years of the pension. As each of these issues differs extensively I will speak to each individually.

Part 1 of schedule 1 of the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2009 concerns the deposit of certain payments into foreign bank accounts. Under existing legislation, veterans who currently reside outside of Australia and who are in receipt of pensions or payments covered by the Veterans’ Entitlements Act or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 are required to have their payments made to a bank account in Australia. The changes contained within this legislation will enable the Repatriation Commission to make arrangements for pensions, allowances or other pecuniary benefits payable under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act to be paid into bank accounts or similar financial institutions outside Australia.

This is indeed welcome news and has been very well received by the veterans and ex-service community. The current legislation makes it needlessly difficult for the expatriate veteran community to access their pensions and other payments. By widening the scope of how payments are made, veterans living outside of Australia can now expect that their payments will be easier to access. The new measure will align the Department of Veterans’ Affairs policy of payments to overseas bank accounts with the policies of other Commonwealth government agencies, including Centrelink and the Child Support Agency. I welcome this change and I believe that all veterans, whether residing in Australia or overseas, should be able to easily and readily access their entitlements.

I will now refer to part 2 of schedule 1 of the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2009. The defence homeownership scheme, which was superseded by the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme on 1 July 2008, provides eligible ADF members access to a subsidy on interest incurred on their home loan. Simply put, the scheme makes homeownership easier for ADF members by helping to reduce costs associated with purchasing a house. This program is a key recruitment and retention initiative for the ADF, even more so during a housing availability crunch such as the one all prospective homebuyers are currently facing.

It is therefore welcome news that the amendment contained within part 2 of the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2009 proposes to expand eligibility for the Defence Service Homes Insurance Scheme, a scheme that helps safeguard a Defence Force member’s most valuable asset: their home. This amendment will provide those ADF members entitled to assistance under the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme with access to subsidised building and contents insurance. Importantly, eligibility does not require ADF personnel to have accessed a subsidised loan under the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme Act 2008. An ADF member need only be eligible for the subsidised loan to be eligible for the home insurance benefit.

ADF personnel are often absent from their homes for extended periods of time. Australia’s defence forces are currently experiencing their highest operational tempo for decades and are involved in operations right across the globe. Approximately 2,000 ADF personnel continue to serve in the Middle East as part of Operation Slipper. There are approximately 650 ADF personnel in East Timor as a part of Operation Astute. More recently, there have been up to 850 ADF personnel involved in Operation Vic Fire Assist. When ADF personnel are away from their homes serving the people of Australia, they deserve peace of mind that their own home and belongings are properly insured. For the above reasons I support the extension of the Defence Service Homes Insurance Scheme, a scheme that will assist an estimated 7½ thousand ADF and Reserve members to insure their most important possessions.

I now come to part 3 of schedule 1 of the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill. The provisions contained within this amendment concern the cessation of payments for the majority of dependants pensions. At the outset, I wish to put on record my firm belief that any issue that concerns a cessation or change to a payment of a person’s pension, allowance or salary must be thoroughly examined before being implemented. Recent history shows us that it is the men and women on the ground that are most affected by poorly thought out changes to pay and/or payment systems. Of course, I am referring to the recent SAS pay debacle that saw special forces soldiers returning from dangerous tours of duty in Afghanistan only to be faced with bureaucratic bungling that left them out of pocket. It is therefore in everybody’s interests, particularly serving ADF personnel, that we avoid another Rudd Labor government pay debacle. I therefore urge the government to give attention to the following points regarding this amendment so as to avoid another poorly thought out and poorly administered pay reform program.

Under the current repatriation legislation, if a veteran or a member is receiving disability pension for incapacitation, certain circumstances allow the veteran’s dependants to claim a dependants pension. Furthermore, upon the death of a veteran certain dependants other than the veteran’s partner or children may be eligible for a dependants pension. Depending on the circumstances a dependant could include the veteran or member’s family members such as parents, siblings or grandparents. The amendments to repatriation legislation made by the Repatriation Legislation Amendment Act 1985 resulted in future grants of dependants pensions applying only to the eligible partner or child of a living veteran or member.

While the amendments provide that no future grants be made other than to an eligible partner or child of a deceased veteran or member, those already in receipt of the entitlement retained the entitlement. Upon the enactment of the Veterans Entitlement Act 1986 the ‘saved’ status of dependants pensions under section 66 of the Repatriation Legislation Amendment Act 1985 was continued under section 4 of the Veterans Entitlement (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1986. Section 4 of the Veterans Entitlement (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1986 was subsequently amended to save the entitlement to dependants pensions for persons whose rate had been reduced to nil.

Under the current system there have not been any new grants since 1985 and nor have there been any rate increases for partners since 1964 or for children since 1952. The amendments to this legislation will see a person’s entitlement to the pension cease and instead will provide for a lump sum payment of a dependants pension. Importantly, this amendment does not affect pensions granted on the grounds of the person being without adequate means of support. Those ‘without adequate means of support’ pensioners will continue to receive their entitlements in accordance with section 4 of the Veterans Entitlement (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1986.

Additionally, this amendment does not affect the payment of a pension to eligible orphans, war widows or war widowers of deceased veterans. It is anticipated that the lump sum payment, which will be exempt from tax, will be made on 24 September 2009 and will be equivalent to three years worth of pension. A person’s entitlement to an affected dependants pension will cease on and from 22 September 2009.

I now refer back to my earlier remarks concerning the extra level of diligence which needs to be applied when altering a payment system. This is particularly the case given the Rudd Labor government’s poor track record in this area. While the new system is intended to simplify the payment process and reduce the associated administrative burden, I am now deeply concerned about the lack of detail concerning this program. For instance, no information has been made available concerning how many people this amendment will affect, the age brackets of those affected, how many of those affected based on their age will be penalised with no further payments after the three-year lump sum payment has been made and whether affected persons will be compensated after the three-year lump sum time period expires.

As is the case with the Rudd Labor government’s 2009 Defence white paper and budget statements there is a glaring lack of detail in this amendment bill. Worryingly, the most crucial detail is left out—that is, just who will be affected by the new system. The measures presented in the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2009 should be welcomed by the majority of ex-service veterans and current ADF personnel; however, the measures contained within the aforementioned amendments pale in comparison to what could have been done for veterans if the Rudd Labor government had not recklessly spent $40 million on cash splashes.

Once again the Rudd Labor government continues to wilfully ignore the plight of veterans. It has demonstrated this shameful policy of neglect by not resolving the outstanding issues surrounding ADF superannuation benefits. This is most surprising as superannuation is a key component of the total remuneration package for ADF personnel and is therefore critical to recruitment and retention of service men and women. Again, the Rudd Labor government favours rhetoric over results.

There is considerable frustration within the Defence community due to the lack of initiative shown by the Rudd Labor government in addressing ADF superannuation contributions. The inaction of this government has failed Australian service men and women, whose current superannuation arrangements fall well below modern standards. The Rudd Labor government’s budget shows a clear hole with respect to any reform of super arrangements for ADF personnel.

Labor has deprived thousands of ADF personnel, who remain under lagging superannuation conditions, by failing to act on findings published in the Review into military superannuation arrangements report, failing to respond to lobbying by the coalition, and failing to act on numerous submissions from serving and returned ADF personnel. The wide-ranging review into military superannuation was announced on 27 February 2007 by the then Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon. Bruce Billson MP. Findings of that review were released on 24 December 2007.

It is beyond belief that it has now been 20 months since the report of the Review into military superannuation arrangements was tabled by the then Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, on 24 December 2007. This report has been sitting on the desks of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel for over a year and a half and there is still no word on the government’s response from either of those ministers.

The Rudd Labor government has shown again that it is about image not substance, and the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, has certainly subscribed to this policy. Mr Griffin, while in opposition, called on the then Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon Bruce Billson MP, to release the report. Now in government Mr Griffin has done nothing with the report. Quite frankly our troops deserve much better. They deserve action.

Over a year and a half is more than enough time to review the report and its recommendations. This report was commissioned by the coalition so that it could help meet the unique and specific needs of our service men and women. Instead Minister Griffin and Minister Snowdon deliberately chose to ignore the needs and the interests of our serving personnel past and present. To my disappointment and to the disappointment of our veterans this is to be expected of the Rudd Labor government, who could not even deliver the white paper on time let alone with the requisite financial detail expected within such an important strategic document.

By ignoring the report the government is failing both our current and past serving members. The new defence minister must insist that the Minster for Veteran’s Affairs and the new Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, deliver the report. If Mr Griffin is not up to the challenge, then he should be retired like Minister Snowden. If Minister Combet refuses to act, it will bring into question the very principles he stood for before he entered parliament.

The Rudd Labor government is neglecting some of our most vulnerable ex-service personnel—those that have been totally and permanently incapacitated. Mr John Ryan OAM, National President of the Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex-Servicemen and Women, wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister on 1 June 2009:

The view of the Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Federation is that we have been badly let down by your government. In a time when extraordinary sums of money are being spent by the government to dull the impact of the recession it seems that the group given the least consideration is that which has given the most in the service of their country. We request that military disability pensions be increased by the same percentage as other government pensions - that is, 11.4%.

The ex-service community is clearly being made to suffer by the Rudd Labor government. They are right to wonder why an increase to the age pension did not extend to totally and permanently incapacitated and other veteran disability pension recipients. The ex-service community has been let down by the Rudd Labor government’s inaction. The Veteran’s Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 only tinkers with the edges and is part of a larger smoke and mirrors campaign by this Rudd Labor government. Australia’s veteran community will not be fooled by the Rudd Labor government’s campaign of deception. They deserve a government that respects their past service through the establishment of fair and equitable pensions. They deserve a government that will take action on the Review into military superannuation arrangements report. I call on Ministers Combet and Griffin to act decisively and finally deliver a response to the Review into military superannuation arrangements report.

These ministers need to explain why they refused to provide any funding support to the veteran community while instead splashing around $14 billion in cash handouts. Where is the fairness? Where is the equity? I can only presume that the Rudd Labor government will now say that they can do nothing in the face of the global financial crisis, even though they found $14 billion to hand out in electoral largesse—largesse at the expense of our current and former service men and women. The main point is that our service personnel, past and present, deserve to live out their lives in dignity and peace after giving so much to their nation. Again, I call on the government to take action and finally deliver a response to the Review into military superannuation arrangements report.

John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to speak on the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2009. The purpose of the bill is to give effect to budget measures announced in May. The three measures include the extension of the Defence Service Homes Insurance Scheme, the payment of pensions and allowances into overseas bank accounts and the cessation of dependants’ pensions.

We are very lucky to live in a democratic society and are afforded the right to freedom of speech, expression and association. It must not be forgotten that these rights, which we are so fortunate to enjoy today, were afforded at the expense of many Australian lives. These lives were not lost in vain, however, and the current defence service men and women continue, in their honour, to preserve our rights. The work of our former and current service personnel is critical and I take this opportunity today to thank them, on behalf of our nation, for their important, courageous and dangerous work. They serve our nation with great honour and distinction. Their selfless courage and bravery must be recognised and commended.

Measures outlined in this bill seek to offer that recognition in extending the benefits afforded to them and their families. In 2008, the Department of Defence established a new home loan subsidy scheme under the Defence Force Home Ownership Assistance Scheme Act 2008, which effectively established a home loan subsidy for current and former Australian Defence Force personnel. The measure was established to improve the recruitment and retention of personnel in the Australian Defence Force. The amendment proposed in this bill will also provide discounted insurance products. Currently, several benefits are provided to eligible service men and women, widows and widowers for home loans and home insurance. This measure is a positive, complementary addition to those existing incentives.

The initiative has also been proposed in light of evidence that its long-term viability will be enhanced with the increase in the number of policyholders. At present, there are approximately 80,000 building and contents insurance policyholders registered with the Defence Service Homes Insurance Scheme. However, as you are aware, records indicate that membership is declining at about four per cent per annum. To improve the dwindling policy registration numbers, the proposed initiatives will expand the scheme’s eligibility and product range. More importantly, the initiative will offer an estimated 7,500 Australian Defence Force and Reserve members cost-effective home insurance. The scheme itself is self-funded through the premiums.

Any measure that can provide benefits to our Defence personnel and at the same time cost virtually nil to the Australian public is a worthwhile initiative indeed. Further, this bill seeks to improve financial benefits to those Veterans’ Affairs’ beneficiaries living overseas by transferring DVA payments directly to overseas accounts. Unlike other Centrelink payments, the current legislation stipulates that DVA payments must first be deposited into an Australian bank account. Naturally, this increases expenses for the recipients through extra account holding fees and international funds transfers. Under the proposed measures outlined in this bill DVA payments will be updated to align with other Centrelink payment arrangements. Funds will now be paid directly to overseas bank accounts for eligible beneficiaries. These payments, however, will only be made directly to overseas accounts where a suitable, reliable banking system exists. The transfer of funds will be made through the Reserve Bank of Australia.

This development is the result of extensive consultation with ex-service groups like Legacy, Centrelink, the Reserve Bank of Australia, financial institutions, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. This measure delivers on a promise made by the Prime Minister last year to review existing arrangements for Australian veterans, war widows and widowers living overseas. It will improve the finances of approximately 2,000 recipients in over 70 countries, including service pensioners, disability pensioners, and war widows and widowers. The government seeks to implement these new arrangements by March next year.

The cessation of the dependants pension also proposed in this bill will affect approximately 26,000 people and is scheduled to take effect in September this year. The cessation of the dependants pension, as outlined in the bill, is made in light of the continuous erosion of the financial benefit it seeks to provide. Unfortunately, the erosion of the benefit is the result of the pension not being indexed for over 45 years. The dependants pension was first introduced in 1914 to provide financial support to the wives and children of veterans. However, the rate of pension has not increased since 1952 for children and 1964 for wives, and there have not been any new grants of pension since 1985. Further, in 1986, with the introduction of the Veterans Entitlements Act, many recipients chose to voluntarily cease the ongoing payment of their pension in return for a lump sum to the value of three years payment. Hence the proposal under this bill to cease the payment also includes a three-year lump-sum payment. I dare say that the lump-sum payment of up to a little more than $656 is expected to provide more benefit to recipients than a small fortnightly payment of between 29c and $8.42.

It is also prudent to note that there have been improved income support measures introduced through the Veterans Entitlements Act 1986 and the Social Security Act 1991. One very important improvement is the significant pension increase which was announced in the last budget. Under the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Pension Reform and Other 2009 Budget Measures) Bill 2009, from 20 September 2009 pension payments will increase by $32.49 for singles and $10.14 combined for couples. This equates to more than $1,500 for singles. Just a moment ago I was listening to the criticisms of our government by the member for Paterson in relation to its support for the veteran community. That flies in the face of the former Howard government’s efforts to help struggling pensioners—the ones who have fought for this country—and the support given by their dependants. The member for Paterson did not note that in his contribution this morning.

The proposed changes to the qualifying age to receive an age pension will remain unchanged for veterans under the Veterans Entitlements Act 1986. These are the benefits afforded to service men and service women who have offered great service to our nation, and I am extremely pleased that the Rudd government has taken the initiative to improve their benefits too. As a proud patron of the Burwood and District Sub-Branch of the National Servicemen’s Association, I would particularly like to thank those men and women who have offered their lives to serve our nation, and I take this opportunity to thank the dedicated members and executives of the nashos sub-branch for their efforts. The group supports members in very many areas, including welfare and securing recognition of their service through medals and financial benefits. I know of their fine efforts and I thank them for their invaluable contribution to our community. They work very hard, and their base is in the suburb of Burwood in my electorate of Lowe.

On the subject of Burwood, last Sunday week it was a pleasure to welcome the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, the Hon. Dr Mike Kelly, the member for Eden Monaro, to the Sandakan Memorial service in Burwood Park, which was organised by the Sandakan Memorial Committee. As guest speaker, Dr Kelly delivered a very moving address about the horror that was Sandakan. The memorial service is an annual event held in Burwood Park on the first Sunday in August. Former Prime Minister Paul Keating dedicated and opened the memorial in 1993. I share with colleagues in this House the knowledge that the memorial is very close to Mr Keating’s heart because his uncle died in the infamous Sandakan death marches. Mr Keating marked the 10th anniversary of the Sandakan Memorial by returning to the annual service at Burwood as guest speaker. Mr Keating describes Sandakan as ‘the saddest story in Australia’s war history’.

Dr Kelly in his speech this year noted that 23 of the soldiers who died at Sandakan were from Burwood. Dr Kelly said:

The sacrifices these true Anzacs made have contributed to the security we enjoy as Australians. They will be forever remembered for the ultimate sacrifice they made. These soldiers endured some of the most inhospitable conditions that any soldier would have been through, with only six Australian soldiers who were at Sandakan surviving the war. The courage and commitment that these soldiers displayed is an inspiration to us all and they will not be forgotten.

That is part of what Dr Kelly said last Sunday week in Burwood Park. Dr Kelly, himself a very distinguished former member of the Defence Force, understood clearly the contribution that those ex-servicemen who were victims at Sandakan gave to our country.

In concluding, there can be no doubt that our national servicemen distinguished themselves also fighting for our country abroad and supporting and defending our country on home soil. National servicemen fought for an independent nationhood that greatly contributed to the freedom of thought, freedom of speech and freedom of religion that we cherish. As a great act of selflessness, many paid the ultimate price so that we may enjoy peace. It is prudent to pay tribute to our current brave service men and women who are continuing the pledge of others who have gone before them to serve in the defence of our freedom and security. Our profound thanks should go to every man and woman who serves our nation, and we pray for those still serving for their safe return to our shores. I commend the bill to the House.

Debate (on motion by Mr Laurie Ferguson) adjourned.