MEDIA RELEASE
18 August 2026
THOMPSON DEMANDS LABOR AXE CRUEL VETERAN HEALTH CAP
The Albanese Labor Government must immediately reverse its damaging decision to impose a $5,000 cap on allied health services for veterans, following an emotional day at Parliament House where veterans, families and healthcare providers travelled from across Australia to plead for the cap to be scrapped.
Federal Member for Herbert and Shadow Minister for Defence Industry and Defence Personnel Phillip Thompson said the Government was ignoring the voices of the very people it claims to support.
“This week, veterans who have worn our nation’s uniform travelled to Canberra seeking a simple meeting with the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, which the minister refused.”
“After repeated requests and mounting public pressure, the Minister finally agreed to meet with veterans at the eleventh hour. But despite hearing directly from veterans, families and allied health providers, he still refused to scrap the cap.”
“Veterans should never have had to fight this hard just to get a meeting with their own Minister.”
“These are men and women who served Australia on combat operations, humanitarian missions and peacekeeping deployments. They should never have to travel to Parliament House and beg a government not to cut their access to healthcare.”
“Australia’s veterans have courage and conviction. Labor’s Veteran Affairs Minister Matt Keogh the man who is supposed to be their champion as veterans minister has neither and is unfit to hold the role.
He should be standing up and fighting for better services for veterans, Minister Keogh has failed the veteran community. He needs to go.”
Mr Thompson moved a suspension of the house to censure the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs after the Minister refused to meet with the veteran delegation and failed to address their concerns during Question Time.
“The Minister only agreed to meet after significant pressure from veterans and the Opposition.”
“The meeting should have happened from the outset, but the bigger issue remains that after hearing the concerns firsthand, the Labor Minister still refused to back down.”
“Listening is important. Acting is what matters. Veterans left that meeting knowing Labor still intends to push ahead with a policy that will leave them without the allied heath support they need.”
“The reality is, when veterans hit this $5000 cap in a few months, many will be forced to reduce or stop treatment. For some, that means losing access to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, psychology and other critical services that keep them healthy and functioning.”
Mr Thompson said he had personally heard from veterans who fear the impact the cap will have on their mental health and wellbeing.
“I have spoken to veterans who don’t know where they will turn when they reach this limit. I have spoken to families who are terrified about what comes next for their loved one.”
“No veteran should ever be forced to choose between their health and their finances. No veteran should be left wondering where their support will come from.”
Mr Thompson said both veterans and allied health providers had overwhelmingly rejected the Labor Government’s claims that the cap would improve outcomes.
“In Parliament we had veterans, family members, general practitioners, occupational therapists and allied health providers all delivering the same message: this policy will hurt veterans.”
“They are on the front line of veteran care and they are warning this Government that people will fall through the cracks.”
“Townsville is the largest veteran population in the country and not a single veteran who has contacted my office has supported this $5000 cap on allied health services.”
“Veterans aren’t asking for special treatment. They are asking to keep access to the health care they currently receive.”
“The Minister had an opportunity to listen and fix this policy. Instead, he chose to defend it.”
“You cannot claim to support veterans while simultaneously putting barriers between them and the treatment they rely on.”
Mr Thompson said supporting veterans should never be a partisan issue.
“We ask Australians to serve this country, to defend our freedoms and, if necessary, put themselves in harm’s way on our behalf.”
“Today’s meeting proved one thing: veterans will not stop fighting for their healthcare.”
“They travelled to Canberra, shared deeply personal stories and explained exactly how this $5000 cap will affect their lives. The Labor Minister heard them, but he still refused to act.”
“The Prime Minister and the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs must now reverse this policy before more harm is done.”
“Veterans kept their commitment to Australia. This Government must keep its commitment to them.”
“Scrap the cap. Put veterans first.”
ENDSABOR