A PARLIAMENTARY bill to support more defence force members after they leave the military is a great change according to Member for Macquarie.
In Parliament, Ms Templeman spoke in favour of the Veteran’s Affair Legislation Amendment, which was passed the House of Representatives in November.
The bill changes the eligibility criteria for members of the defence force to receive treatment for mental health.
Previously, members must have served for three years to gain access to the Department of veterans Affairs services.
“Not an event occurs, whether it be Anzac Day, Vietnam Veterans Day, or most recently, Remembrance Day, without a conversation occurring around the impact of mental illness on the lives of families and returned service personnel,” she said.
“ADF members no longer have to jump through bureaucratic hoops.
“This bill will ensure that 67,000 additional members of the ADF are able to access quality health care for mental health conditions.
This will make a real and positive impact in my electorate, and it is a change I strongly welcome.”
In Parliament, Ms Templeman mentioned a number of ‘frightening’ statistics, about the mental health of current and former defence force members.
“Our veterans are facing serious issues when it comes to the prevalence of mental health conditions,” she said.
The bill had bipartisan support and was passed to the Senate.