THREE MINISTERS IN ONE SUMMER

Three Veterans’ Affairs Ministers in three months.

 

This is what the Turnbull Government have delivered to our veterans and ex-service personnel.

 

Confirmation today Darren Chester will take on the Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel portfolios only confirms the Turnbull Government treat these portfolios as nothing but a consolation prize.

 

Whilst the Liberal and National parties have been fighting with themselves for the past three months, our veterans and ex-service personnel have been hung out to dry with barely a token representation from the Turnbull Government.

 

There are over 287,000 veterans, ex-service personnel and families who access services from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. They need a champion in government – and they haven’t had one.

 

The Senate tabled an important report on the crisis in veteran’s suicide last August – implementing its recommendations should be one of the main priorities of the government.

 

Critical legislation has been moving through the parliament and nobody has been pushing it.

 

Veterans suffer from an unemployment rate of 30 per cent – and instead the Nationals are more worried about divvying up their own jobs.

 

Veterans need to be heard on these and other pressing issues.

 

Instead they have had to endure the ignominy of a government treating the veterans’ affairs portfolio as nothing but a place holder for Ministers vying for top positions.

 

Sadly, this is what we have come to expect from the Turnbull Government who put themselves before the men and women who have served our country.

 

Our veterans deserve better than the uncertainty and neglect this inept Turnbull Government have delivered them.