Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 19 February 2016:

The mental health of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel who have returned from combat, peacekeeping or other deployment, with particular reference to:

(a) the extent and significance of mental ill-health and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among returned service personnel;

(b) identification and disclosure policies of the ADF in relation to mental ill-health and PTSD;

(c) recordkeeping for mental ill-health and PTSD, including hospitalisations and deaths;

(d) mental health evaluation and counselling services available to returned service personnel;

(e) the adequacy of mental health support services, including housing support services, provided by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA);

(f) the support available for partners, carers and families of returned service personnel who experience mental ill-health and PTSD;

(g) the growing number of returned service personnel experiencing homelessness due to mental ill-health, PTSD and other issues related to their service;

(h) the effectiveness of the Memorandum of Understanding between the ADF and DVA for the Cooperative Delivery of Care;

(i) the effectiveness of training and education offerings to returned service personnel upon their discharge from the ADF; and

(j) any other related matters.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In one of life's strange coincidences, after sailing in the Sydney to Hobart last Christmas, I was down at the docks buying a coffee and I got chatting to a guy at the bar, who wanted to buy me a drink. He then insisted that I come and sit with his group. After a few minutes, I realised that this group of people I was sitting with had sailed also from Sydney to Hobart. They were a group of veterans called Mates4Mates, a support network for veterans. They had actually sailed a boat down and had trained—and they work with philanthropists. To cut a long story short, as we parted ways after one or two rum-and-cokes, they made me swear that I would try and do something about support for veterans.

I am pleased today to have Labor's support and support from the crossbench to get the Senate to look at something that was raised very recently by Four Corners: the dire situation for veterans in this country with regard to suicide, homelessness and mental health issues. I thank the Labor Party and the crossbenchers for their support.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government acknowledge the unseen psychological wounds from conflict and training, and we are resolutely committed to caring for those carrying physical or psychological scars as a result of their service. The government understand the unique nature of military service and the importance of providing comprehensive and timely support to veterans with mental health conditions. DVA spends almost $179 million a year on meeting the mental health needs of the veterans and ex-service community and has developed a range of significant resources to support them, and this expenditure is demand driven and not capped.

The government have also launched the $5 million Transition and Wellbeing Research Program as part of its ongoing commitment to support ADF personnel and their families. This initiative represents the largest and most comprehensive program of study undertaken in Australia to examine the impact of military service on the mental, physical and social health of serving and ex-serving personnel who have deployed to contemporary conflicts, and their families.

Question agreed to.