Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson. I refer the minister to his media release of 5 March when he announced a three-week consultation on the future of Veterans' Access Network shopfront services in Victoria and New South Wales, which ended yesterday. Can the minister advise the Senate which shopfront offices and services are top of his hit list for closure?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to welcome the question from Senator Farrell, because I think it is now some 120 days since he has asked me a question. It is a good day; I am very pleased to get the question.

I thought, quite frankly, when Senator Farrell got to his feet that he actually might be rising to congratulate the government on delivering on its DFRB/DFRDB indexation promise, which was delivered today.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order on relevance: we are talking about the potential closure of Veteran's Access Networks, not pensions.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I draw the minister's attention to the question. You have got one minute 29 seconds remaining. Minister.

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President, I was just getting to the question but I thought it might be of interest to the house that this promise has been met.

An opposition senator interjecting—

Thank you very much. Can I just make it quite clear: this government is committed to a stand-alone department of veterans' affairs, but what Senator Farrell clearly does not understand, which is not surprising because he represents a party that did not even have a veterans' affairs policy before the last election. That is—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, a follow-up point of order on relevance: the minister has now had more than half of his time, and we have yet to get to the particular question about the shopfront offices and services.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the one-minute-29 mark, I drew the minister's attention to the question. I do so again at the 58-second mark. Minister.

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. As I was saying, more and more veterans and their families are choosing the telephone or the internet to deal with the DVA. Senator Farrell should be aware of that and, indeed, visits to our shopfronts are down 28 per cent, since 2009. The nature of this department is changing, because we have a new cohort of veterans—some 72,500 veterans—who have served overseas in the last 20 years. We are indeed reviewing the— (Time expired)

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given the minister's response to that last question, is the minister aware that older veterans in regional communities are concerned that their local offices will close down and be replaced by internet services? Why is the government proceeding with a policy that will make it more difficult for older veterans and war widows to access important services?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With the greatest respect, the last time Senator Farrell was in regional South Australia he turned left instead of right! I can tell you now that someone who actually does live in regional Australia fully understands what their needs are. But what Senator Farrell has got to understand is that access to these shopfronts is down 28 per cent since 2009. What I have clearly done is say to the department, 'Have a look and see whether these shopfronts are being properly accessed, see whether these shopfronts are being properly utilised and see whether the veterans themselves want some other access to this department.'

That is what we are doing and that is what we will continue to do. If you, Senator Farrell, and the Australian Labor Party want to deny those new veterans the opportunity to have access via the internet, the telephone and other means, then that is entirely your business. What I as minister am saying to you is that I want to make sure that this department is moving with our clients and making sure that we are delivering those services appropriately. (Time expired)

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I refer to the government's attempt to cut support to children of veterans, including orphans. Isn't the veteran community right to be worried that their support officers and services will be the next on the chopping block?

Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have the tail end of this appalling scare campaign directed against people, who, quite frankly, deserve better from the Australian Labor Party. What I make absolutely clear in response to this question—and Senator Farrell knows it, but he will not admit it—is that the two schemes, the VCES and the MRCAETS, are not being changed at all. Nothing has been removed from them. There are no changes at all.

This is a grubby little scare campaign from the Australian Labor Party, run by their leader in the other place. He should be ashamed of himself. You know full well that none of this has been changed at all. I will just go through, in the 24 seconds left open to me, what these young men and women can get, because you clearly do not understand it. Under these schemes, eligible secondary students, aged between 16 and 25, who are still living at home receive fortnightly non-means-tested payments of between $230.70 and $277 per fortnight. Those living independently receive up to $421.40. (Time expired)