Veterans and advocates in Northern NSW today outlined issues facing returned service people at roundtables with Labor’s Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs.

The roundtable, organised by Member for Richmond Justine Elliot and hosted by the Tweed Heads & Coolangatta RSL Sub Branch, covered various issues affecting those who have left, or are planning to leave, the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Attendees raised a range of concerns, including cuts to Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) services, defence and veteran mental health and suicide, and transitional support for people leaving the ADF.
  
Many ex-service personnel at the forum made it clear the veteran support system

is complicated, hard to navigate, inefficient and poorly administered, and needs fundamental reform.

To make matters worse, veterans and advocates on the NSW North Coast are angry that the Morrison Government has used the cover of COVID-19 to shut down DVA offices and service desks in Tweed Heads, Robina and Lismore.

RSL Sub Branch members told the forum that many older veterans and war widows rely on these drop-in services, especially those with physical, mental or social issues, which make face-to-face service delivery the most appropriate form of contact for them.

As a result of these closures, there are currently no DVA offices open between Broadbeach on the Gold Coast and Newcastle. It’s just not good enough.

What this shows is the Government is not committed to veteran services in regional areas, and to older and disabled veterans who rely more on these vital services.  

Many roundtable participants said they supported the Royal Commission into veteran suicides, which Labor have been calling for since 2019, and intended to provide feedback on the Terms of Reference.
 
It’s clear we need to do more to support our defence personnel when it comes to transitioning out of the ADF and into civilian life through assistance with mental health, employment, housing and homelessness. 
 
These roundtables provide a great opportunity for local service personnel, veterans and advocates to highlight issues that concern them.

Labor plans to hold more veteran roundtables around the country over the coming months to help inform policies in this area.