Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

This bill amends the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 to simplify and streamline arrangements for medical treatment for the Department of Veterans' Affairs clients covered by the act so they can access health care through a DVA health card only rather than have to be reimbursed for the cost of treatment later. This should lead to a better take-up of health outcomes for our veterans. The changes are consistent with Labor policy and have their genesis in former Labor government's 2011 review of military compensation, which considered moving to a single treatment pathway. This is a sensible, positive amendment and Labor supports it. I commend the bill.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.