Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Hansard source

With a federal election coming up soon, hopefully Tasmanians will give me another go. But no matter what happens, I'm not done fighting for our veterans. We're a long way off from getting what we need.

One thing we urgently need is to get a national commissioner up and running. Not just any commissioner, but one with the full powers of a royal commission. If they don't have those powers and can't work independently, Defence leadership will continue marking their own homework and nothing will change—just more of the same. That's why I'm moving an amendment to the Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill to establish this national commissioner, and I'm using the coalition's own bill from 2020 as the basis. That bill lapsed in 2022, but now the coalition have the chance to back their own idea again and do what's right for the veterans.

This isn't just my idea. Recommendation 122 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide is crystal clear: we need a statutory entity with independent oversight to drive real reform across Defence and Veterans' Affairs. This isn't about more reports or bureaucracy; it's about having a babysitter because you both need one when it comes to the way you treat veterans. It's about preventing suicides and improving the wellbeing of those who serve and have served our country.

The big parties have an opportunity here, a real chance to change lives. Veterans and their families deserve actions, not excuses. It's time we take a stand, stop passing the buck and make this happen. Quite frankly, if you had any common sense, before you start ramming this legislation down the veterans' throats again, you would have this babysitter set up. Both major parties have failed year after year after year when it comes to veterans and their wellbeing.

For goodness sake, just do something right in here. Instead of ramming that harmonisation bill down our throats, how about you do the right thing and set up the babysitter—the national commissioner. My goodness me, that is exactly what needs to be done. You need that before you need anything else.