David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question. Yes, Senator, I hope you will have noted that in one of my earlier contributions I did touch upon the fact that the Department of Veterans' Affairs has been engaged in consultation with ex-service organisations and that is obviously something that is of great importance and of great continuing importance. I think it is fair to say that in every interaction I have ever had with Veterans' Affairs, whether through the estimates process or through debate in this place, the importance of those service organisations and the perspectives they bring are acknowledged and understood by all.

What I cannot do is get up in this place and assert the opinions of the RSL; that is for them to assert. I am not able to comment on their level of support for the actions of this government. That is something that only they can properly do. I am I think properly constrained in terms of speaking for another organisation. The RSL will announce in public what they do or do not think about matters as they arise.