Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I have taken some advice, obviously, on the numbers in that question. I receive a quarterly report from the Defence Force Ombudsman and received the last one on 10 August, which was dated as at 30 June. Between 1 September 2016 and 30 June 2017 the DFO received a total of 163 reports, 85 per cent related to historical incidents in that profile. The ombudsman's office has completed assessment of 57 of those, 28 of which were assessed as meeting the threshold of serious abuse which is reasonably likely to have occurred and 29 as not meeting that threshold.

In relation to the advice that is given to complainants when a complaint is laid, the ombudsman takes the approach of acknowledging the government's announcement about the reparation payments and advises complainants that they will make further contact with them once the policy is finalised. (Time expired)