Mr BRADFORD(10.50 a.m.) —I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak in this House on veterans affairs. I normally take the opportunity to do so in recognition of the important role that veterans play in the life of our community. The amendments that the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (1996-97 Budget Measures) Bill introduces make minor changes to some of the measures in the veterans legislation. It effects change to mirror amendments made to a similar social security measure and introduces the further veterans affairs budget commitments.

I want to reiterate this government's commitment to veterans, which is further demonstrated by this legislation we are dealing with. The government believes that veterans are important. In fact, when looking back at some of the documents we produced prior to the election which give an indication of this, I reflected on these words:

The Coalition remembers and applauds the contribution of all war veterans for the freedom we enjoy today and recognises the special standing of the veteran community and their right to the highest levels of support and respect from today's community.

Within the bounds of our economic capacity the Coalition will always attempt to err on the side of generosity in the levels of support it provides our Veteran community. This will be based on the fundamental principle that Government care and support ought to be extended to veterans and their dependants as compensation, not welfare.

When we have debated these sorts of issues in this parliament over the years that I have been here, I have always been at great pains to remind people that when we talk about veterans benefits we are not talking about welfare; we are talking about compensation. I believe that all of our decision making in respect of veterans affairs needs to be based firmly on an understanding and an acceptance of that principle.

I was reminded by one of my colleagues a short time ago that it is only a couple of months before we commemorate Anzac Day again. I am sure that all members in this place look forward to Anzac Day as a very special opportunity to mix with the returned service personnel in our electorates. It is a day we enjoy and a day tinged with sadness as we remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Once again, that day is coming around. For the older veterans it probably comes around all too quickly once a year.

The coalition government has a very substantial array of matters within its veterans affairs policy. Some of them are enacted in this legislation that we are dealing with. Importantly, our commitment is underlined by our belief that all existing veterans entitlements should be maintained. We believe that there are some anomalies within the area of veterans benefits which have been of longstanding concern to the veterans community, and we are addressing a number of those.

One issue that needs attention is the continuation of the war widow pension to war widows who have been involved in a veteran remarriage. I raise this issue because I understand the government has undertaken to review a number of issues and this is one that seems to come up from time to time. A constituent raised it with me recently.

Whilst I do not want to reflect in any way on a veteran's right to remarry, it does cause concern, particularly when we realise that many war widows have received that status—that is what it is—by virtue of the long service that they have given to a veteran. The fact that my mother happens to be a war widow probably colours my view of this to some extent. She cared for my father for some 40 years after the war before he eventually died of war of a war caused illness.

I did not want to take up a lot of time on particular matters, because they are not in any way contentious, but I did want to pick up on a couple of issues that the Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Mr Bruce Scott) raised in his second reading speech, and that he has been involved with in recent times. I commend him for his commitment to the Australian services nurses national memorial and I am pleased that the government has committed $100,000 towards that project. The minister paid tribute to nurses in his speech at the unveiling of that memorial on Saturday, 15 February, and in the dedication of that site on Anzac Parade which, of course, is a very fitting place for it.

The other issue relates to the Korea war memorial, which is an ongoing matter of concern to the veteran's community, to which this government is committed. The government has committed $200,000 towards that project, and I am very pleased that it has. There is some concern within the Korean veteran's community that the project is not moving ahead as quickly as they would like it to. I have explained to them that the government has been very generous in its commitment and that, as with other memorials—like the nurses memorial and the Vietnam memorial—they need to be active in raising funds to bring that project to fruition. Nevertheless, I am pleased that the government has made that commitment to the Korea war memorial and I do hope that they will be able to meet the time commitments for its completion.

I would like to mention briefly the government's commitment to younger veterans, predominantly Vietnam veterans—although most of those are not quite so young these days, but I am sure they are quite happy to be described as younger veterans. Younger veterans also include veterans from some of the peacekeeping forces who have also achieved the status—I use the word `status' again because I think it is the right word to use—of having returned from active service. I am pleased that the government is committed to looking at the particular problems of younger veterans, Vietnam veterans in particular.

I was very pleased that the minister recently announced his commitment to further research and investigate the effects on Vietnam veterans of chemical exposure to what is broadly termed Agent Orange; I am not sure that that is the actual chemical description of it. The minister has been committed to the Vietnam veterans' community in grappling with that issue and determining whether there is genuine cause for concern. I know that the veterans maintain that there is cause for concern; I believe that we need to carefully investigate that.

In the context of this legislation, I place on the record that I recently had the privilege of visiting Washington. Probably a large number of Vietnam veterans have visited the Vietnam veterans' wall of remembrance in Washington. It is the sort of thing that all Australians who are going to Washington should place on their itineraries.

Mr Taylor —A moving experience.

Mr BRADFORD —As the member for Groom said, it is a moving experience. It is a poignant reminder to Americans and others that over 50,000 Americans gave their lives in Vietnam. Each one of those 50,000 names is inscribed on the marble wall. As we said, it is a moving experience to walk along that wall and see the impact of the sacrifices that so many Americans made in that war and to recognise that over 500 Australians also died in Vietnam. Whilst that might be a small number compared with the more than 50,000 Americans who died, in terms of Australia's commitments to wars, it is nevertheless a very substantial commitment. The Korea memorial, which is almost adjacent to the Vietnam memorial, is also well worth visiting. Australia made a significant contribution to the Korean war.

I do not want to pre-empt this to any great extent, but the minister is shortly to announce—it may have been this week—a program of commemorative activities to take place over the next four years. We all believed that Australia Remembers was an excellent year, and we paid due credit to the former minister, Con Sciacca, for the personal contribution he made. Perhaps ironically, the fact that he was running around Australia putting so much effort into that event meant that he did not attend to matters in his own electorate as diligently as he ought to have and, of course, he was not re-elected. We all pay him due credit for the effort he put in.

I am looking forward to seeing what the government is planning for this forthcoming four-year program of commemorative activities. As the minister in his second reading speech on this legislation said:

This program will publicly and proudly honour the debt owed by all Australians to our veteran community through a range of programs of commemoration and education, and through the restoration of important memorials.

That is worthy of our support.

As I said at the outset, the legislation before us is fairly straightforward and I imagine it is totally non-controversial. I am sure it will be supported by the parliament. It delivers on some of our promises to veterans, and I am pleased to be part of a government which is committed to veterans. My two colleagues, both of whom have a particular interest in veterans affairs, and I will ensure that the government continues to not only honour its commitments to veterans but also resolve wherever possible some of the ongoing concerns that veterans have. There will always be concerns.

When I was in America I had a meeting with the American department of veterans' affairs. They also cannot keep everybody happy as there are obviously issues at the margin which are difficult to resolve. In fact, not only are they contending with a number of concerns of Vietnam veterans but also they are now having to deal with this Gulf War syndrome, which has created a huge problem for them and a new lot of veterans who are suffering illnesses for which they have to be cared. It was interesting to have that discussion with the American department and to find that on a day to day basis they also do some of the things that our department does here.   I try to give credit where it is due—it is not always due—so, in the presence of the department officials, I say that I really think veterans are very well served by our Department of Veterans' Affairs on the ground, at the coalface—not here in Canberra, I suspect, where the engine room is. I very rarely hear any criticism of the department, not so for the politicians or policies. I know you would agree, Madam Deputy Speaker, that with our facilities on the Gold Coast and Southport in particular our veterans are very well served by the staff of the Department of Veterans' Affairs.