After weeks of delays, the Albanese Government has now pushed off a Senate vote on its plan to put a use-by-date on ‘we will remember them’ and impose a 20-year limit on reviews of military honours and awards.
The Defence Honours and Appeals Tribunal Bill 2025 was expected to be voted on this afternoon, but instead the Government has moved to delay it once again, despite overwhelming opposition from veterans, ex-service organisations and the Tribunal itself.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the latest delay showed the Prime Minister knew the Bill was on the brink of defeat.
“It’s already clear this Bill has no support outside the Government,” Ms Ley said.
“Putting a time limit on honouring acts of bravery is disrespectful and completely out of step with Australian values. Our nation believes in recognising service and sacrifice whenever the truth comes to light, not only when it suits a government’s timeline.”
Ms Ley said Australians were instinctively opposed to the idea that recognition for courage could expire.
“Service to our country doesn’t run out after 20 years, and neither should the chance to correct an injustice. Australians expect fairness for those who wear the uniform, and this delay shows the Government knows it has badly misjudged the public.”
Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the Government’s refusal to face a vote spoke volumes.
“We have already seen in Question Time that the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs couldn’t name one veteran who supported the Bill, and the Prime Minister cut him loose,” Mr Chester said.
“Now, instead of allowing the Senate to vote, Labor has delayed it again to try and avoid the humiliation of defeat.”
Mr Chester said the Bill should be withdrawn permanently.
“If the Albanese Government had any respect for veterans, it would abandon this mean-spirited plan altogether,” he said.
“This Bill is opposed by veterans, ex-service organisations and the Tribunal itself. Defence officials admitted they didn’t consult the independent Tribunal before drafting it. That is an extraordinary failure of respect and process. Our veterans deserve better than a government that tries to strip away their rights and silence their appeals.
“The current system works because it is independent, fair and trusted. Labor’s Bill would shut the door on cases that deliver long-overdue justice and recognition, undermine the Tribunal’s integrity and damage confidence among those who have served. Labor must stop dragging this out and bin the Bill for good.”
Established in 2011, the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal provides an independent pathway for reviewing Defence decisions on medal recognition dating back to 1939.
The Tribunal warned Labor’s changes would gut most of its work, including landmark reviews such as those involving Victoria Cross heroes Teddy Sheean and Richard Norden.
The Senate inquiry received 73 submissions, with only one supporting the Bill from the Department of Defence, which wrote it.
Tribunal Chair Stephen Skehill told the inquiry it would strip Defence personnel of their rights and “work against the wellbeing of Defence personnel”, while RSL NSW said the proposal was “disgraceful” and would devalue service and harm veterans’ health.
Mr Chester said Labor had completely misread the veteran community.
“This whole episode has been arrogant and deeply disrespectful to those who have served our nation. Veterans fought this Bill and the Government is now running from its own mess.”