Brian Burston (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Cormann. In recent years, the Department of Veterans' Affairs has failed to cloak itself in glory. It has been embroiled in a series of matters but has failed to deliver what most would consider a satisfactory outcome. In the area of recognition of service in 2000, we had the Moore review of veterans' entitlements, which was not well received by the government of the day, most likely because it found in favour of the veterans. In 2003, the Clarke review was tabled and accepted, most likely because it seemed to contradict most of the Moore review's findings and would have saved the government a lot of money. On 17 October 2017, the Prime Minister stated, 'My government always do the right thing by veterans,' yet, year after year, the veteran community is treated with disdain by the department. Last year, suicides in the veteran community exceeded 80. Minister, where has the government promoted the National Audit Office's upcoming performance audit on the efficiency of veterans service delivery by the Department of Veterans' Affairs?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Burston for that question. Our government are committed to our serving and former serving men and women and their families. We are very proud to have delivered the single largest additional allocation of funding—$350 million—to the veterans portfolio for many years in the last budget.

This funding is being used to expand early access to mental health treatment to address concerns from the ex-service community about the backlog of claims and the time taken to process those claims. It is also being used to modernise the Department of Veterans' Affairs' antiquated computer systems and administrative processes and to implement the first stage of the Veteran Centric Reform program. Importantly, this funding is ensuring that all veterans can access free and immediate treatment for any mental health condition without having to prove that the condition is related to their service. It has also enabled access to the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service to be extended to partners, dependants and immediate family members.

Further, legislation is being introduced this week to implement two additional measures announced as part of the government's response to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee report titled The constant battle: suicide by veterans, tabled on 24 October last year.

The ANAO audit has commenced, in line with recommendation 13 of the Senate inquiry report, although final details of the audit scope are being still being settled by the ANAO. The report is due to be tabled in June 2018. Obviously it's hard to respond in relation to a report that is yet to be finalised.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Burston, a supplementary question.

Brian Burston (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, is there any guarantee that the government will adopt the recommendations arising out of the National Audit Office's research, particularly if it favours the veteran community?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government look forward to the ANAO report into the effectiveness of service delivery by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and of course we will consider any recommendation that it makes. As senators will appreciate, the government is not in any position to comment on this report until it is completed by the ANAO and tabled in the parliament.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Burston, a final supplementary question.

Brian Burston (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, will the department commit to upholding the Prime Minister's assurances given in his speech of 17 October 2017?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated in response to the primary question, the government are very proud of our record in veterans' affairs. We have delivered record funding to the portfolio. We have addressed and are continuing to look for ways to improve the delivery of mental health services to our veterans; to deliver streamlined services through the Veteran Centric Reform program; and to provide more support to families, without whose support our service men and women could not serve our country. We will always be committed to our veterans, and we'll continue to strive to improve the way in which they are supported after they leave the ADF.