Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move business of the Senate notices of motion Nos 2 and 3 together.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the Veterans' Children Education Scheme (Income Support Bonus) Repeal Instrument 2014, made under subsections 117(2) and (3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, be disallowed [F2014L00257].

That the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (Income Support Bonus) Repeal Determination 2014, made under subsections 258(4) and (5) of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, be disallowed [F2014L00256].

These two motions will disallow the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (Income Support Bonus) Repeal Determination 2014 and the Veterans' Children Education Scheme (Income Support Bonus) Repeal Instrument 2014.

I can scarcely believe that I need to do this. The ALP is incredulous—and I repeat incredulous—that this government would be small-minded enough to cut small income support bonus payments to the children of war veterans. We all know what this is about. It is a small-minded, mean-spirited attempt to make a political point about the MRRT, using children of veterans who have performed the highest form of public service—that is, they have borne arms and put themselves in harm's way in the service of our country. This is pathetic. In fact, it is more than pathetic; it is despicable.

Labor are deeply committed to keeping in place these income support bonus payments to the children of war veterans. We make no apology for that and we make no apology at all for going in to support our veterans and their families. Our aim is to keep in place income support bonus payments to the children of war veterans, which the government is so callously determined to cut. These disallowance motions will void the repeal of those payments to the children of veterans, some of whom are homeless or do not live at home. Some of them, tragically, are orphans.

Let us look at the callous cuts that the government is proposing to make: a total cost to the budget of $254,000. Seriously, we have probably spent that amount in getting people here to Canberra today to debate this matter. Let us look at what the payment was designed for. It was designed to help the children of veterans and their families meet the sort of unexpected and unwelcome expenses that arise. Under this scheme, each eligible veteran's child receives $215.60. While some of us may see this as a small amount, it can mean a great deal of difference to a veteran's child. It might mean a pair of new footy boots, a school trip, a new school blazer or some music lessons. What is the ADF community to make of this proposal?

If I were a mate of a dead or wounded digger and I watched this happen to my mate's kid, I would seriously begin to wonder what sort of small-minded, penny-pinching country we had put ourselves on the line for. I repeat: bearing arms is the highest form of public service bar none. Those of us who send these people into conflict in our name have an onerous responsibility. That responsibility is to ensure that the courage and sacrifice of these people is reflected in the care that we give them upon their return and the care and consideration that we show for their families.

With regard to Australia's veterans we must discharge this duty of care to them and their families and not count the cost—ever! If the government wants savings, might I suggest that it look to, for instance, the Prime Minister's paid parental leave scheme for millionaires. Believe me, there are savings aplenty to be found there. Anyone in this place knows that government members and senators are far from universally supportive of this piece of legislation. Today, coalition MPs and senators will have to decide whether they will support children of ADF veterans or back the Prime Minister's penny-pinching, mean-spirited and small-minded cuts.

The income support bonus is paid by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Veterans' Affairs to assist those students who rely on government allowance as a primary source of income. It provides funding for unexpected expenses. Students who receive an education allowance under the Veterans' Children Education Scheme or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme are entitled to the income support bonus. Criteria for eligibility under the VCES guidelines include the following young people: those children of veterans who receive disability pension at various rates, depending on their level of disablement—for example, if they have suffered amputation or blindness; $215.60 for the child of an ADF member who has died and whose death was war- or defence-caused; $215.60 for the child of a veteran who was an Australian prisoner of war and who is now deceased; and $215.60 for students who are the children of Vietnam veterans or former members of a peacekeeping force.

The income support bonus for these students is paid twice a year—in late March and in September. This is the payment the coalition will cut, a yearly income support bonus of a measly $215.60 that goes to children of injured or killed diggers. In my home state—and yours, Madam Acting Deputy President Ruston—of South Australia, there are 77 children who will be affected by the scrapping of this payment.

Let me repeat: the cost of providing this assistance is just under $254,000 a year. That is less than 0.005 per cent of the Prime Minister's universally derided paid parental leave scheme for millionaires. It is a sad day when the government puts the saving of a measly amount of money ahead of the welfare of children of veterans, some of whom have paid the ultimate price in the service of our country.

The president of the New South Wales RSL, Don Rowe—not someone you would expect to line up with the Labor Party on many issues—has publicly stated his absolute disgust with this decision. He described it as 'a mean penny-pinching exercise'. I agree. It is mean and miserly. Legacy Australia said:

Legacy would be disappointed if any of the welfare payments are cut to the families of deceased or incapacitated veterans.

It is time for coalition MPs and senators to come out from behind the lines. Do they want to be part of a government that is happy to proceed with a $5.5 billion parental leave scheme but cannot find $250,000 for the children of veterans? They should ask the Prime Minister exactly when it was that he stood before the Australian people prior to the election and declared that he was going to cut support for the children of soldiers who had been killed or wounded in action. He did not say that.

The Prime Minister and the coalition love to drape the flag over themselves and stand up damp-eyed at Anzac Day dawn services in their electorates, yet this is how they treat veterans and veterans' families. It is shameful. In the context of an annual budget that runs into hundreds of billions of dollars, to do this to save $254,000 is mind-boggling. This is nothing more than a shameful political stunt by the government to underline its opposition to the MRRT. I urge the Prime Minister and the government to go and pick on someone their own size, not the children of deceased, sick or injured veterans.

This is a cruel and callous government, one that is happy to spend more providing paid parental leave to just four high-income earners than it would cost to keep up this support to the 1,200 children of ADF veterans. That is what the government will be voting for with this legislation—cuts to payments for the children of war veterans. The priorities of this government are simply wrong. It should scrap its unfair and unaffordable parental leave scheme instead of hitting low- and middle-income families.

The real Abbott government is now standing before us. We are seeing how callous its actions are and will continue to be. The Prime Minister is steadfast and was unapologetic even today about cutting these benefits to the children of veterans. He has indicated very clearly what his priorities are. We say that the families of our veterans deserve respect and gratitude. Taking away their modest payments is incredibly insulting.

I am proud to move these disallowance motions on behalf of the Labor Party. We can scarcely believe the government would go to so much effort to save $254,000. I call on senators opposite to join us in disallowing these regulations. Come on over. Cross the floor and demonstrate to ADF members, past and present, that you have the courage to stand up for what is right—as they had the courage to defend us and what is right in the theatres of war. Cross the floor. There are no IEDs, no landmines. You just have to cross the floor, Senator Edwards. All ADF members and their families know who you are and how you are going to vote.

This payment was intended to help cover unanticipated expenses. Families know how often these arise. On this side of the house, we know just how much difference a small amount of financial assistance can make to students and their families. If there is a bone of compassion in his body, the Prime Minister will reverse the decision immediately. He should reverse this callous decision. He ought to back down and ensure that the children of Australian war veterans get the support they deserve. We need to send a clear and unequivocal message today that this parliament in no way supports the government's attempts to deprive the children of veterans of this modest payment.