Mental health, suicide and lack of government support were the main issues raised at a roundtable held in Campbelltown yesterday to discuss the challenges facing local defence personnel and veterans.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) was in the spotlight, with veterans pointing to a long wait on entitlements – up to six months in some cases.
The roundtable, organised by Member for Macarthur Dr Mike Freelander and hosted by NSW RSL president and Campbelltown resident Ray James at Dredge’s Cottage, was also attended by Labor shadow minister for veterans affairs Shayne Neumann.
It covered a range of issues affecting those who have left, or are planning to leave, the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Macarthur veterans and advocates who attended the roundtable outlined some of the serious challenges faced by both serving ADF personnel, veterans and those transitioning out of the service.
“Local veterans are waiting too long to get their entitlements and waiting times for compensation claims have continued to blow out while DVA deals with a huge backlog of applications,’’ Dr Freelander said afterwards.
“Today, veterans outlined how they are waiting six months or longer to receive payments in some cases.
“It’s just not good enough,’’ he said.
“The roundtable provided a great opportunity for local service personnel, veterans and advocates to highlight the issues that concern them, and they have made it clear they are fed up with the Morrison Government’s and DVA’s performance.’’
Mr Neumann said more needed to be done to tackle the scourge of defence and veteran suicides.
“A year ago, the government announced a National Commissioner for defence and veteran suicide prevention, but many veterans and families have rejected this as a marketing exercise designed to placate them and avoid a proper investigation,” he said.
“Labor and many veterans have called for a Royal Commission into ADF and veteran suicides instead to try to get to the bottom of the issue once and for all.
“And 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, for example.
“Local veterans are also frustrated with the government’s responses to reviews of the Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) pension and the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (DFRDB) scheme,” Mr Neumann said.
