Barry MaggieHon MAGGIE BARRY (National—North Shore): Thank you Mr Speaker. I rise to speak to the first reading of the Veterans' Support Amendment Bill. National supports this bill. The Minister's outlined the reasons why this needs to occur and an unintended drafting error from the passage of the Veterans' Support Act 2014 is the culprit.It is a fairly substantial piece of work and the Hon Craig Foss ushered in a number of changes that really modernised much of the way that veterans were treated and their entitlements.Hon Michael Woodhouse: No he didn't; I did.Hon MAGGIE BARRY: Oh woops. Many people have had a hand in this important legislation including the Hon Michael Woodhouse. If there's anyone else that would like to claim—well who had a good part in where the shaping of the 2014 bill arrived at then please feel free to alert me to that. Right. Moving on then.So the legislation in 2014 did a lot of really good work and it was thorough and comprehensive. It went through what the working day meant. It was as valid and relevant to the armed forces of today as it was to the people who had deployments and need to have—I call them entitlements—what they need to continue on in civilian life. I think that there is a very strong spirit and intent to ensure that veterans should not have to wait or have to go through legal processes that might be time-consuming that some of these retrospective ones may even tarnish the entitlements that the veterans have been taking.This morning I heard about Vietnam veterans some of whom are—and it was quoted from one of the vets—too proud to go forward and ask for help. I think that tidying up this legislation is an important signal that there is nothing we won't do to ensure it's as straightforward as possible. The people who served our nation who put their lives at risk in overseas combat deserve the help and support that this bill intended to do in 2014—and apart from the unintended drafting error it pretty much did suit the purpose.The other body of work that is continuing on at the moment that the Minister alluded to is really important for veterans. They need to know and understand the modern meaning of the word veteran"—how it's defined what it means and what it comes with. It is really important that that piece of work continues on and until this piece of legislation is passed it cannot.So I can think of no better reason than to keep my call brief tonight but to say that the view of the National Party and I as the spokesperson for veterans is that we are very fortunate to have the calibre of people that serve in our armed forces today. Modernising the armed forces is not without its challenges but I think it has been done and they are in good heart. Devonport is in my electorate. I know that the navy people take a huge pride—Chris Penk: That's right.Hon MAGGIE BARRY: —not only in what they do now but also in the past. Oh yes and I acknowledge Chris Penk who was in the navy and was one of those who I don't think probably drank the five-finger tot of rum for morning tea but it—and those days are now gone of course.Hon Member: You never know.Hon MAGGIE BARRY: Yeah well a dark horse—that's true but we won't dwell there. I think it is a really important and significant thing to acknowledge our veterans to say that they do extraordinary work. Also at a time of reflection following on from Anzac with Normandy beach the arrival of if you like the main events and battles of World War II—my father fought and my husband's father as well—it's a time and an opportunity to reflect on the courage of people who were at Monte Cassino who risked their lives on a daily basis. So it is in the spirit of that tradition that we support this bill and we commend it to the House and wish it well on its safe passage."