STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator COLLINS (New South Wales—Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate) (13:58): This week, you may have noticed a lot of the ADF personnel embedded into parliamentary offices, and I want to welcome them. I'm privileged to have a commander of 30 years service. I want to thank everybody who's here this week and thank them for their service.

But we have also had the Coalition of Veterans' Voices visit parliament again today, and I am absolutely ashamed that they've had to come back and beg for help. I went down to the lawns this morning and watched them put their medals on the ground to give their medals back to this government that has abandoned them. I'm absolutely ashamed.

Senator Cash: Sick! Senator COLLINS: It is sick, and I am absolutely ashamed. I'm so sorry to the veterans that feel that they have to do that.

The system is so broken. We are in a crisis right now. We have a Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel that has been grossly rude to them, refused to meet with them and refused to shake their hands.

He refuses to acknowledge and listen to them. I say to the minister, if he's not prepared to listen, if he's not prepared to respond, then that minister has to go. He has to move on.

We need to scrap the cap. We need to fix the DVA. We need to have an investigation into this problem.

The PRESIDENT: The time has expired.