Australian Citizenship Amendment (Defence Families) Bill 2012

Mr McCORMACK (Riverina) (19:59): Australian Defence Force personnel play an important role, whether they are contributing to the rebuilding of Iraq, partaking in various United Nations peacekeeping operations or involved in multinational exercises within Australia or overseas. However, it is not just our military men and women who are serving our nation.

So too are the spouses and partners of Australian Defence Force personnel and their dependants. The families of military personnel are their great enablers, their devoted supporters and play the largest role in influencing whether someone remains a member of the Defence Force. The families are also the ones who experience the reality of living with a member of the Defence Force. As their partner is moved around the country and the world to different rotations and deployment, they too get moved around and shuffled about. Many a Defence Force family has superb skills at packing and starting life again in a new town. 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Hon. BC Scott ): Order! The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 34. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting and the member for Riverina will have leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed.