Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to rise tonight to speak in favour of the Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and Their Families First) Bill 2019. In particular, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to place on the record my personal gratitude to the many tens of thousands of men and women who have served in our defence forces and who have dedicated their lives to protecting us and our loved ones.

Australian Defence Force personnel make enormous sacrifices on our behalf. The nature of their task can often require them to move their families across the country at very short notice. When they are posted on operations overseas, it can be for months at a time or years and requires them to be away from partners and children. How many veterans and serving defence personnel have missed their little one's first steps, their first day at school, sports games and just the simple pleasure of sitting down with a spouse and a cuppa at the end of a very busy day? These are the kinds of little sacrifices we can often forget, and they are made every day by the people who work so hard to keep us safe from those who would seek to do us harm.

I'd also like to pay tribute to the many community organisations that are helping and supporting veterans in my home state of Victoria. The Returned & Service League of Australia Victoria Branch has been dedicated to providing practical and ongoing support to veterans since 1916. The contribution this organisation makes to our community can't be overstated. Much of their work happens quietly and without fanfare, yet the impact of their efforts can be profound. For example, the RSL was recently responsible for providing a motorised wheelchair for the child of a medically discharged member of the Australian Army. The family of this former soldier was struggling to make ends meet raising four children. When one of the children needed a motorised wheelchair, it was the RSL that stepped in and helped them. To give you another example, when a retired member of the Royal Australian Navy was unable to afford a new pair of glasses it was the RSL that provided the funds, to supplement this, not their support pension.

It's not just the RSL that does this kind of good work in our community. Soldier On provides social activities, employment, educational support, psychological support and assistance for our veterans, helping them and their families stay connected in the communities that they love. Young Veterans supports former defence personnel with opportunities to create community connections with one another, an important component in the ongoing mental health of our veterans. Then there are the Vietnam Veterans Association, Legacy, Veterans Off The Streets, The War Widows' Guild, the Defence Force Welfare Association and countless others, all of whom are doing their bit to support our veterans and their families. But there's more to be done, and there's a role for everyone in this place and the community to lend a hand.

When the men and women of our Defence Force are on deployment, they are in harm's way—literally—putting their safety and lives on the line for our national interest, sacrificing their physical and mental health for our safety and comfort. We owe our veterans a great debt. As both sides of this place and many on the crossbench recognise, this is a way for us to plan a recognition of veterans and serving members of our Defence Force. It's also why, despite some concerns about the mechanisms of the bill, Labor will support the proposed format for recognition of immense contributions that veterans have made to our community. The centrepiece of this bill is the establishment of an Australian Defence Veterans' Covenant, which will provide a framework for our community to recognise and thank veterans for their service to our nation. It is something for which a range of stakeholders have been lobbying for some time now. This will serve as a solemn reminder of the debt of thanks and service our community owes veterans.

However, there are concerns that the covenant does not cover currently serving military personnel. Recognition models around the world that are similar to that which would be established by this bill, notably that of the United Kingdom, include currently serving military personnel. As the shadow minister for veterans' affairs, Amanda Rishworth, stated earlier this year when this bill was debated in the other place, 'Our obligation to look after members is just as great when they are serving as it is when they are in transition, through that transition and then while in civilian life.' The member for Kingston is correct. Veterans hold a special place in our community, but so do currently serving members of the defence forces, and we should include them in formal recognition.

I believe that the establishment of the covenant and a formal program of recognition for our veterans is important. Lapel pins and a veterans card are simple things that we can do to achieve this. But that recognition has to go hand in hand with proper support and assistance through the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Our thanks to and recognition of veterans also has to include proper provision of health care and mental health services. Cutting departmental staff and changing departmental programs in ways that are not yet clear make the provision of that health care and those mental health services harder, not easier. Words are important, but they must be backed up with action. I'm now looking to the government to ensure that the impact of their budget cuts will be minimised at the very least. I am pleased that I've been able to place on the record my gratitude to former and current Defence Force personnel and the many community organisations that support them.