The announcements of Australia’s new security partnership with the United States and United Kingdom, and that we will be working with them to build nuclear-powered (not nuclear armed) submarines in Australia, is the most important defence initiative of our time. We know that the security outlook in our region is changing quickly. We owe it […]

The events in Kabul are a murderous atrocity and if anyone was ever in any doubt about the righteousness of the Australian mission in Afghanistan this is a brutal reminder of the terrorists and criminals we were fighting against and the threats they posed to our national security and security of the world. I would […]

Ex-service organisations from across the nation have met with the Australian Government today to throw their support behind efforts underway to assist veterans and families impacted by the situation in Afghanistan. The Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans’ Affairs convened the extraordinary meeting of the Ex-Service Organisations (ESO) Roundtable, bringing together key players in the […]

Wednesday the 18th August is Vietnam Veterans’ Day – an opportunity for our country to pause and remember the service and sacrifice of the Australians during the Vietnam War, and to acknowledge the 55th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Andrew Gee said the Vietnam War was […]

The death of any Australian Defence Force member or veteran is one death too many and a tragedy that is deeply felt by all Australians. Tragically, and heartbreakingly, this includes death by suicide. Recognising this, the Government will take the step of recommending to the Governor-General the establishment of a Royal Commission into Defence and […]

Labor has established new Senate inquiries into the Totally and PermanentlyIncapacitated (TPI) veteran pension and the Defence Force Retirement and DeathBenefits (DFRDB) military superannuation scheme. This release from Shayne Neumann MP Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel and member for Blair and Senator Kimberley Kitching Chair, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee […]

It is a national tragedy that suicide remains the leading cause of death for young Australian males. It is a complex issue that has been a focus of this government, but sadly more than 3000 Australians take their own lives each year and our veterans’ community is not immune. The Australian Institute of Health and […]

Now is the time for a considered assessment of the findings of the Inspector General’s Report into alleged serious misconduct by Australia’s Special Forces in Afghanistan. It is an internal ADF Report that now is subject to ADF disciplinary and administrative processes. The appointment of an independent investigator working with the AFP is a part […]

TOMORROW, Australia remembers one of the most significant battles in our history, the Battle of the Coral Sea, which ended the attempts by the Japanese to capture Port Moresby by a seaward invasion. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the Battle of the Coral Sea was a naval engagement between Australia and the United […]

Veterans receiving invalidity benefits from their military superannuation schemes were wrongly taxed for years according to a decision handed down in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal by Justice Logan in precedent setting test cases on Wednesday 25 March 2020. Veterans who are medically discharged from the ADF may receive a disability benefit from their military superannuation […]