Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. How has the Albanese Labor government improved support for our veterans, and why is this support so necessary after years of neglect?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, members on my left! The member for Fadden shouldn't be interjecting before I call. If this continues, people won't be warned. They'll just have to leave. It is a red line. No-one is to interject before a minister or the Prime Minister is called. If they say something and you want to react, go for it, but, until that happens, no-one—

including the member for Barker, in particular—will be interjecting.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question and acknowledge her service. On 9 February 2021, former prime minister Morrison attended RAAF Base Williamtown for a defence announcement. For those opposite, the substance of that announcement was less important than the theatre. We had Top Gun music. We had pageantry. We had hoopla. A year earlier, on 4 January, at the height of the Black Summer bushfires, those opposite produced an ad featuring the Australian Defence Force to raise money for the Liberal Party. These two incidents characterise the essence of the Liberals. As they see it, defence is all about politics; defence is all about them. But, while all of this was happening, our veterans, the men and women who have worn our nation's uniform, were suffering.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gippsland will cease interjecting.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

While the Liberals were using defence for a political fundraiser—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Deputy Prime Minister will pause. Before I deal with the member for Canning, I've got one issue to deal with, and then you'll get the call. The member for Deakin was on a warning on the first question. He's continued to interject through every answer. It's the same old story. He'll leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Deakin then left the chamber.

Everyone gets a fair go, but if you get a warning, chances are that if you keep interjecting, you won't be staying. Now, the member for Canning, I will deal with his point of order before we return to the question.

Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the question was about the government's support for veterans. There was no 'alternative approaches' qualifier. This was an easy chip shot onto the green, and—

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. The member for Canning has raised his point of order. He has been heard in silence. I will now hear from the Leader of the House on a point of order.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the question referred to 'years of neglect', and 'years of neglect' is exactly what the defence minister is going through.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister was asked about a previous decision, so I'm going to listen to his answer to make sure he's being relevant. He has the call.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

While the Liberals were using defence as a political fundraiser, the backlog in veterans' claims—that is, claims which no-one had even looked at—was about 20,000. A year later, as the Top Gun music was playing, that number had risen to more than 30,000, and by the time of those opposite left government that number stood at more than 40,000. This has been described as a stain on the former government—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for New England will cease interjecting.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but the last Minister for Defence in that government was the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow minister was a minister in the broader portfolio. It is a stain on them as well.

Since coming to government, from our very first budget we have increased the number of public servants in the Department of Veterans' Affairs by 1,000 so they can deal with this backlog and get entitlements flowing to our veterans, to the men and women who have served our nation—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Groom will cease interjecting.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and, as of today, that backlog is entirely clear. Lest there be any confusion that this is a story about history, let's be completely clear: this is a story about right now. Thirteen days ago, when the Leader of the Opposition delivered his budget reply, the closest he came to a policy announcement was a commitment to cut public servants—a commitment which was backed in by the shadow minister the very next day—the same public servants who are seeing entitlements flow to our veterans. For those opposites, nothing has changed. They just see defence as a political opportunity. This government understands that at the heart of defence are the men and women who have served and who continue to serve us all by wearing our nation's uniform to keep Australians safe.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Before I call the member for Kennedy, there are some acknowledgements to be made of the gallery.