Opened the debate
Senator Ayres supported both bills. Regarding the Defence bill, Ayres argued that the Tribunal needed modernisation to focus on contemporary matters where evidence was verifiable, rather than historical conflicts from the Second World War era. Ayres stated that the amendments would introduce a 20-year time limit for reviewing decisions on operational awards and a 100-year limit for length of service awards. Ayres also noted that the bill would restrict applications to those with a direct interest, such as family members or eyewitnesses, to prevent unnecessary distress to families from applications by unrelated academics or historians. Ayres emphasised that the Tribunal's independence would be maintained, but its review function would be focused on eligibility. Regarding the environment bill, Ayres argued that the amendment was necessary to ensure Traditional Owners could continue to participate in managing Commonwealth reserves like Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta even when management plans expired. Ayres described this as a step towards greater Traditional Owner control and consistent with previous independent review recommendations.