Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I am pleased to introduce the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 2) Bill 2018.

The bill has six schedules and would implement several new initiatives to deliver a range of services to veterans and their families to give them the support and services they need.

As the Minister for Veterans' Affairs I recognise the Australian community has a clear expectation veterans and their families will be well looked after, long after their service ends.

This bill demonstrates the commitment this government made in 2016 to put veterans first and continues on from the eight measures we introduced earlier this year under the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 1) Act 2018.

Schedule 1 of the bill would enable a veteran who is studying full time as part of an approved return to work rehabilitation plan to be paid their incapacity payments at 100 per cent of their normal weekly earning after 45 weeks.

Currently, a person's incapacity payments 'step down' to 75 per cent (or a higher percentage depending on weekly hours worked) of normal earnings after a period of 45 weeks.

We know the best type of support for our ex-service men and women is the economic independence that comes with a job.

Which is why we will continue to promote employment for veterans by ensuring the business community recognises the many benefits of employing a veteran.

Quite simply, it's good for your business to employ a veteran. They bring skills of leadership, discipline, teamwork and patriotism, which will benefit businesses around Australia.

We want to encourage and support our veterans to get back into the workforce, and assisting them financially while they study as part of a rehabilitation plan is one important way we can do this. Participation in a Department of Veterans' Affairs rehabilitation plan may include study to assist a veteran in returning to ongoing meaningful employment outside of the Australian Defence Force. For veterans participating in a rehabilitation plan, and in approved full-time study, their incapacity payment will not be reduced after 45 weeks.

Injured veterans are naturally concerned about financial security not only for themselves but also for their family. These amendments will allow those former members studying full time as part of their approved rehabilitation plan to focus on their study and not be concerned about financial matters.

As we know more than 5,000 men and women leave the service each year. This measure aims to make a real difference to how injured service men and women who are leaving the Australian Defence Force manage the transition to civilian life, in particular for those undertaking full-time study. This measure promotes veterans' employment and builds on the jobs and growth measures announced in the 2017-18 budget.

Schedule 2 of the bill would give effect to a new Veteran Suicide Prevention pilot.

Reducing suicide, including among veterans, is a key priority for the government. Consistent with this focus, the government is committed to improving veterans' mental health. Suicide is an issue that affects many Australians, and the ex-serving community, tragically, is not immune. The 2017 National Mental Health Commission's review of suicide prevention services reinforces that suicide prevention is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted service response.

The government takes this issue seriously and is working to ensure that members of the ex-serving community experiencing mental health issues can access the support they need. The Veteran Suicide Prevention pilot will provide mental health support for veterans who have been hospitalised after attempted suicide, suicide ideation or who may be at increased risk of suicide because of their mental health or other factors. The Veteran Suicide Prevention pilot will target a small subset of veterans with complex mental and social health needs, including homelessness.

The pilot will deliver a 'step down' service that takes into account factors that may lead to suicide, such as primary health, financial stress, housing and employment. The Veteran Suicide Prevention pilot will provide intensive services to ensure the veterans are accessing treatment and provide support to reduce the risk of suicide and enhance their quality of life.

This measure not only sets out to provide intensive support for up to 100 veterans who have complex mental health challenges but its evaluation will also inform future policy direction for veterans' mental health services.

Schedule 3 would give partners under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 more time to choose whether to receive the compensation payable for their partner's death as a weekly payment, lump sum or a combination of both.

The proposed amendments would give partners, during what is a very difficult time, two years rather than the current six months to decide how they would like to receive their compensation.

The commission would retain the discretion to extend the time frame within which a partner can ask for more time to decide how they would like to receive their compensation, where special circumstances exist, beyond two years. This may be the case where there are complicated family law issues to be resolved, for example.

This measure demonstrates this government is listening and is putting the veteran community at the centre of decision-making so partners and families can determine when they are ready to decide when and how they receive the compensation and support that they need.

Schedule 4 would extend the Long Tan Bursary to the grandchildren of an Australian Vietnam veteran, who has operational service in Vietnam. The Long Tan Bursary is part of the Veterans' Children Education Scheme.

Currently, the Long Tan Bursary scheme is limited to eligible children of an Australian Vietnam veteran. The proposed amendments would extend the eligibility so that an eligible grandchild of an Australian Vietnam veteran who has operational service in Vietnam, may apply for and be granted a Long Tan bursary to enable them to undertake post-secondary education.

The children of Vietnam veterans will remain eligible and their applications for Long Tan bursaries will be given first priority during the assessment process. This honours the original intent of the scheme.

It also demonstrates how we continue to recognise the important contribution of the Vietnam veterans who have given so much to our country to protect our great nation and freedoms and way of life. It is only right we support them and their families.

Schedule 5 would deem a submariner's service on a submarine between 1 January 1978 and 31 December 1992 as operational service, where they served on a submarine special operation during that period.

A deeming provision will enable all submarine service during this period, by persons who have served on submarine special operations, to be treated as operational service. This provision will address the difficulties in determining whether an injury sustained or disease contracted by a submariner is related to service on a secret operation.

This amendment will ensure the classified nature of information about submarine special operations does not hinder access by these personnel to the benefits and entitlements available to those with operational service. In addition, this means submariners who are deemed to have operational service will have their claims assessed against the more generous provisions than those that apply to peacetime service.

This measure gives full effect to the intent of the Clarke review and will benefit those veterans and their widowers to be able to access the benefits to which they are entitled.

Schedule 6 would enable veterans with Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 coverage to lodge a claim for compensation orally. This amendment supports the veteran-centric reforms being made by the Department of Veterans' Affairs and will lead to improvements for clients.

Currently, a claim for compensation must be made in writing and is distinct from a claim of liability. For those clients who wish to do so, they will be able to continue to make a written claim for compensation.

However, the amendments would mean a client will be asked during a needs assessment telephone call whether they want to make a claim for compensation and their oral statement will be treated as a valid claim under the act.

This means a client will have the option to make a claim for compensation in writing or orally. This is all about making it easier for our clients to engage with us.

This demonstrates this government has listened to the concerns and frustrations of veterans and their families and is committed to put them first and at the centre of the decisions we make.

Each of the set of amendments will mean better outcomes for veterans and their families.

I commend this bill.

Debate adjourned.