Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Hansard source

The Defence, Veterans' and Families' Acute Support Package Bill 2022 mirrors one that was brought in by the coalition in March this year that, had it passed, would already be in effect. It was due to commence on 1 July. However, unfortunately, it wasn't dealt with and lapsed with the last parliament. I commend the government for bringing forward this bill, which responds to recommendations from both the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee inquiry into veteran suicide and the Productivity Commission's report, A better way to support veterans.

We support this bill because it is reasonable and practical. It harmonises veterans' entitlements across three veteran related acts. It extends the eligibility for support packages to family members of working-age veterans and removes the requirement for the veterans to have undertaken war-like service. We know that we need to support our veterans, because the statistics show us, and because of the harrowing personal evidence that has been presented to the royal commission into veterans' suicide. We know we haven't got the best record when it comes to supporting our veterans and we know we need to do better.

I don't want to put people off a career in the defence forces. Indeed, I spent 15 years in the Australian Army Reserve and I really loved every minute of it. Many of our Defence Force personnel have good experiences, make a successful transition to civilian life and have a long and flourishing second career. Unfortunately for some, they need support, and their families need support. This bill ensures that support can be provided and wrapped around the families when they need it. Importantly, this bill allows programs to be tailored to unique family circumstances. We know that everyone's experience is different and every family is different. What they need and when they need it varies greatly between circumstances.

Families are absolutely integral to supporting our veterans. We've heard through the royal commission that often it's the families who are left picking up the pieces when our veterans feel isolated, alone and broken. I thank our veterans' families, who do so much to support their family members—these people who have given service to our nation. This bill is designed to ensure that those families have the support they need so they can support their veterans.

Support services can vary, from psychological services, to in-home services, to gardening, and this is why this is a very important and integral bill. Many of our veterans live in regional Australia, and we need to do more to support our veteran community. That's why, when we were on the other side of the chamber, our government had committed $5 million to support veteran wellbeing centres in areas of high veteran numbers around Australia, like in areas of Page and Cowper. In fact, Dr David Gillespie made this point in the other place when he spoke in support of this bill but pointed out that the government is yet to commit to adopting that $5 million grant for veteran wellbeing centres.

As I said, these centres were going to be strategically located. They were to be established in partnership with ex-service organisations, like Hunter Anzac Memorial Ltd and like the Mid North Coast Veteran Wellbeing Network. These organisations do so much to support our veterans. They are volunteer organisations, but they came together with a realistic proposal for wellbeing centres, which we were going to fund and which we announced prior to the election. But we have not heard from the government what their plans are for that funding and those wellbeing centres. We know that our veteran network is crying out for this sort of support.

These wellbeing centres were part of our government's national approach to delivering integrated support services to veterans and their families by working with these local organisations, with our veterans community and with our defence community. I call on the new government to commit to these centres but also to commit to them where they're needed, which is where the veterans live, and not to move them into areas of political convenience. The sacrifice our veterans and their families have made for the defence and security of our country is incredible, and I thank all veterans and, indeed, current serving personnel. We need to make sure we look after those who've looked after us. So I commend this bill to the chamber.