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The Toxic Culture in ADF Leadership

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Right now, the top brass in the Defence Force is avoiding responsibility, and the Labor government is letting them get away with it. Why hold a Royal Commission into veteran suicide or an inquiry into honours and awards if the government is just going to ignore the findings?

One Nation proudly stands with Senator Jacqui Lambie’s urgent motion.

We are calling on the government to hold the top brass accountable; adhere to legal and moral obligations to our ADF members; and ensure no ADF member is denied legal protections or access to justice just because they are serving overseas.

It’s time to end sexual discrimination and ensure every man and woman in uniform is protected under the law.

It’s time to fix this problem.

— March | Senate Speech

Transcript

Senator Roberts: I thank Senator Lambie for moving this motion. The Australian Defence Force, as Senator Paterson has just said, protects us and it relies upon its people to do so, and we need to protect the Australian Defence Force people.

One Nation supports getting this on the record and noted urgently—urgently! I agree with Senator Gallagher; this place is a shambles, and the Labor government is making it even worse. Labor is destroying formal motions. We saw yesterday a stunt persecuting and denying Pauline Hanson justice that was cooked up days in advance. It was in the media. So, yes, we agree with you; this place is a shambles. The top brass in the Defence Force is avoiding responsibility and that is what Senator Lambie is after here.

Why have a royal commission into veteran suicide, why have an inquiry into honours and awards and just ignore both of them—ignore everything—and just let the top brass run? We need to hold the top brass accountable. 

As I read this motion, Senator Lambie is calling the government to immediately abandon this position, adhere to its legal and moral obligations to ADF members and ensure that no ADF members are denied legal protections or access to justice because they were serving outside of the Australia at the direction of the Commonwealth. She just wants women to be protected. She wants all people in the Defence Force to be protected. The key issue here is sexual discrimination and an answer from the government to fix this problem regardless of whether it goes to court.

We support Senator Lambie. 

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A Betrayal of the Uniform

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This is our last chance to act before we stand at cenotaphs across the country, yet the government seems content to push a bill that belongs in the dustbin.

I’ve watched the inquiries. I’ve heard the testimony. I’ve felt the genuine pain and shock from our veterans and those currently serving. They feel betrayed. Defence morale is absolutely shot to bits right now, and a big part of that is a government that gives the “top brass” carte blanche while ignoring the men and women on the ground.

The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal deserves better, and our soldiers certainly deserve better.

The bureaucratic games must stop! Start showing respect to those who wear the uniform.

P.S. Finally clearing up speech videos from late last year. While the date may have passed, the message is still relevant today.

— Senate Speech | November 2025

Trancript

Senator ROBERTS: I support Senator Pocock’s motion to suspend standing orders because it is urgent and it’s serious. I watched the inquiry. I felt the pain from veterans, from the serving men and women and from the DHAAT—the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal. The veterans are shocked at what is going on. After serving the country, they’re shocked, they’re in pain and they’re in anguish. It’s the same with the enlisted men and women right now. It’s the same with the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal. As Senator McKenzie pointed out, we have Remembrance Day coming up in five days. 

The PRESIDENT: Senator Roberts, please refer your remarks to the suspension. 

Senator ROBERTS: We have five days. This is the last sitting day before Remembrance Day. That’s why it has to be done today. That’s why it’s urgent. There are two more reasons. One is that Defence morale is shot to bits over this issue and over many other issues, because the government is just listening to, and giving carte blanche to, the Defence top brass. My final point is that the minister and the government need to be saved from themselves. This is a stupid bill that’s coming up. It needs to be condemned and consigned to the dustbin. 

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Labor BETRAYS Soldiers, Denies Medals for Heroism

The Government makes big speeches on ANZAC day and then betrays the diggers in Parliament.

They’ve introduced a Bill that would stop heroes like Teddy Sheean ever receiving medals they deserved. Frontline soldiers today would have limited ways to get recognition they deserve if some bureaucrat sitting at a desk decides they don’t deserve a medal.

One Nation will not stop until the (Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal) Bill 2025 is thrown out of Parliament and the Government learns to back our Defence Force personnel with actions, not lip service.

Submissions to an inquiry into the Bill close Wednesday 1 October. Go to https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_and_Trade/DHAATBill2025 or call my office to find out how to make a submission.

Transcript

I’m SICK of governments getting up and making speeches on ANZAC Day and then pulling this crap in Parliament.

The government has introduced a bill that betrays serving and former Defence Force Personnel and their families.

The Albanese bill guts soldiers and families’ rights to appeal for recognition of heroic acts.

One Nation initiated an inquiry into the Defence Honours and Awards System that finished on 19 June 2025.

The bureaucrats in the Department of Defence submitted proposals to restrict the rights of Defence personnel, veterans and families to appeal when Defence denied an honour or award – a medal.

These proposals were widely slammed. Veterans, service members, families and the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal were livid and adamant.

Despite this, the government has introduced the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal) Bill 2025. It essentially does everything the Defence bureaucrats want to stop the frontline soldiers being able to appeal for the medals they deserve.

Why have inquiries? The Government ignored evidence criticising Defence’s proposals and now seeks to impose them on ADF personnel, veterans and families.

The Tribunal rebuked Defence’s proposals, many of which appear in this Bill. In a supplementary submission, the Tribunal said:

“Given that Defence’s key proposals…appear to be so counter-intuitive and lacking in sound public policy justification, the Committee might consider whether their purpose is simply to AVOID PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY through independent merits review…”

“This is not the first occasion…Defence has sought to curtail and avoid scrutiny…It argued…historic decisions…should be affirmed…without merits review unless the applicant brought forward ‘compelling new evidence’ or proof of ‘maladministration’…”

“From 2015, the Tribunal consistently rejected these arguments…Merits review clearly requires that all relevant evidence must be considered…without regard to whether or not the decision-making process was tainted by defective administration.”

“On occasion, the Tribunal also pointed out that Defence was in breach of its obligations as a model litigant…because of its refusal to engage on the merits…”

The Tribunal was not consulted prior to the bureaucrats’ proposals or the creation of this Bill, despite a committee recommendation.

The Tribunal is a vital oversight mechanism to ensure Defence Force Personnel, veterans and families receive proper recognition for their service and heroic acts.

The Government cannot fix the morale crisis driving recruitment and retention failures if this Bill reflects the way it treats Defence Force personnel, veterans and families.

Minister Keogh stands condemned for even considering this proposal.

One Nation will always back our Defence Force Personnel and veterans getting the full recognition they deserve.

We will oppose this bill.

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