The Returned and Services League of Australia called on the Prime Minister, Paul Keating, to promote the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator John Faulkner, into Cabinet.
The RSL’s National President, Digger James, said he would be pleased if speculation that Senator Faulkner was to be promoted to Cabinet, while retaining Veterans’ Affairs, was correct.
He said Senator Faulkner had been responsive and able to make up his own mind independently of advisers, departmental officers and vested interests.
A Cabinet shuffle is due soon. Caucus has to elect someone to replace Ros Kelly, most likely to be Carmen Lawrence fresh from a by-election win in Fremantle on Saturday. The position of the former Minister for Industry, Alan Griffiths, is to remain open pending an inquiry into the sandwich shop affair.
When Mrs Kelly resigned, her Ministry was carved up leaving some awkward mixes: Senator Graham Richard with Health and Environment (an almost impossible load) and Senator Bob McMullan with Trade and Administrative Services, one requiring extensive overseas travel and the other requiring incessant watching of the Australian Public Service.
There has been speculation that Senator Faulkner might get Administrative Services. That would sit reasonably well with Veterans’ Affairs because the latter has to have extensive links with other departments.
Until the early 1970s Veterans’ Affairs was always a Cabinet post, but with the decline in veterans’ numbers it lost its influence. There was even some talk of letting Health and Social Security swallow its functions _ a step opposed by veterans’ associations with some vigour.
They now argue that with most World War II veterans in their mid-70s or older the need for a separate department to look after their health needs is even greater.