Bill Shorten
Bill Shorten, Assistant Treasurer, is well connected, he's the son-in-law of the Governor General, Ms Quentin Bryce. Yesterday during the parliamentary debate on the Afghanistan war, he made the point that the Defence Force must be prepared for diggers returning home with psychological disorders.
He said there is much high-blown rhetoric about support for our troops and the troops believe it. While funerals for diggers killed in action are receiving high profile attention, soldiers returning with wounds require special care and that includes those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
He said "So far, 156 of our best and bravest have been physically wounded in Afghanistan but this figure doesn't include psyschological wounds".
"We need to look after them and their family. On a daily, unrelenting basis, the trauma, pain and adjustment for family and friends of an IED (roadside bomb) amputee is huge" he added. Let's hope that high-blown rhetoric about support really counts for something when these soldiers need it most.
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