Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026
Mr KEOGH (Burt—Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel) (18:33): I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the debate on the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026. This bill reflects the Albanese government's ongoing commitment to responding to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
On 9 September 2024, the royal commission delivered its final report, making 122 recommendations. The government agreed to or agreed in principle to 104 of those recommendations. I'm really pleased to see that this bill is progressing rapidly through the House with the support of the opposition.
It's important that we progress this at pace. This bill directly implements 15 recommendations of the royal commission and supports the implementation of a further 20 recommendations focused on improving health and wellbeing outcomes, improving suicide prevention and information sharing, supporting defence families, enhancing transition, continuity of care and modernising governance and accountability arrangements.
Broadly, the reforms put forward are about people—the current and former serving members of our Australian Defence Force and their families—and making sure that they are all looked after when in need. Our priority is their health, wellbeing and safety. We can better support them through the reforms in this bill—through improved information sharing and better integration across defence, DVA and other portfolio agencies, including the newly established, from today, Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency; through establishing more robust frameworks for defence health services by enhancing family supports; and, vitally, through ensuring people who have been imprisoned for serious violence and sexual offences can never serve in our Defence Force.
Together with other reforms we're implementing from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, this bill delivers further practical, system-wide change aimed at reducing harm, supporting families and ensuring defence is better equipped to intervene earlier and more effectively when members, veterans and families are at risk. We're working to make sure defence and DVA systems are contemporary and fit for purpose and that those systems have the wellbeing of our people at the forefront.
I want to thank the opposition and the crossbench for their engagement on this bill to date, as well as the many ex-service organisations that we've been engaged with and everyone who's contributed to the debate on this bill in the House for sharing their own experiences of engagement with our ex-service community, veterans and families. I look forward to the support of the entire parliament in the future as we progress this bill through the Senate inquiry and its passage through the parliament so that we can get on with the business of implementing these 35 recommendations supported by this bill.
I commend the bill to the House. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.
Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.