Anthony Albanese forced to step in as Veteran Minister faces fresh fire

Veterans Minister Matt Keogh has been forced to defend his job as pressure mounts over the temporary snubbing of an ex-servicemen’s group in Canberra to protest plans to cap allied health services at $5000 per year.

Mr Keogh was asked five times – and Anthony Albanese once – about the Monday meeting with the Coalition of Veterans’ Voices during question time on Wednesday.

The minister’s office had initially told the group Mr Keogh did not have time to meet them; however, under pressure, he eventually did so.

During question time on Tuesday, Mr Keogh admitted he “got it wrong” by not agreeing initially to met with the ex-servicemen.

However, Mr Keogh continued to face a grilling over the meeting on Wednesday, with opposition spokesman Michael McCormack asking how Mr Keogh could continue in the role if he “cannot uphold Defence values”.

He quoted former navy diver and Fair Care for Veterans spokesman John Armfield who said after the meeting that “I enlisted under the navy values of courage, honour, honesty and loyalty, yet you fail to display any of niece values, minister”.

Mr Keogh said he had heard Mr Armfield’s evidence before the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide, and had engaged with him “about the circumstances he had to confront, (which) were tragic and terrible”.

“I can very much understand why he would feel that there has been a breach of faith with him in terms of the upholding of the Australian Defence Force values and his commitment. And, so I understand that,” Mr Keogh said.

“I’m sorry that he holds that view about this, and all I can do is I try to do each and every day is to make sure that we’re continuing to the work of improving the system that exists to support our serving personnel and our veteran community and their families, so that they get the service and the support that we all agree that they deserve.”

Mr Keogh denied on Tuesday he had been disrespectful to the cohort on Monday.

On Wednesday, Herbert MP and veteran Phillip Thompson asked if by making that claim he was called former fighter pilot Tim Nelson a “liar”.

“I meet with many veterans, veteran family members, defence personnel on a regular basis and with I respect every position that they put to me in what they can say and describe,” Mr Thompson said.

“But, I also am not in the habit of repeating the content in detail of those conversations and meetings in the parliament every day.”

Anthony Albanese was forced to step in to defend Mr Keogh after questioning from Opposition Leader Angus Taylor.