ADDRESS TO THE TASMANIAN RSL CONGRESS

I am delighted to be here today as a part of the Tasmania RSL Congress.

It’s always a pleasure coming down to Tassie, and Launnie.

No doubt it has been a busy year for the Tasmanian RSL. They always are, as the task of advocating for your members and the veterans community and ensuring that the memories of the veterans who have gone before you are remembered.

 

It’s the same wherever I go as I travel the country, talking to veterans and other members of the ex-service community. I am fortunate to meet many members of different RSL sub branches, but one thing never changes – their dedication and commitment.

 

In many areas members of the RSL are the reason there are commemorative events, without your work they simply wouldn’t happen and the wider community wouldn’t have the opportunity to reflect on the nature of military service and sacrifice.

 

It is the hard work and dedication by the many volunteers in each of your sub branches which ensure these events happen and provide everyone with the opportunity to acknowledge those who have served or continue to serve today.

 

In addition, it is your advocacy which ensures veterans issues remains at the forefront, as you constantly strive to improve conditions for veterans and their families.

 

Over the last two years I have been listening to veterans from across the country and one of the strong feelings they’ve expressed is that once they leave the ADF, they feel the gate closes behind them they no longer feel their service is valued.

 

Of course we do value our veterans and their contribution but we need to consider how we as a community and as policy makers, demonstrate this in very practical ways day to day.

 

One of the ways we can do this is by assisting those transitioning to adjust to civilian life post their time in the ADF.

 

Finding and maintaining employment after their time in the ADF is important for many reasons, it is not just about financial security; it can also provide structure, community and a sense of purpose and belonging. However for many veterans they do not immediately find a meaningful career post their time in the ADF.

 

As you may be aware, best estimates cite the total unemployment rate of veterans is at approximately 30 per cent. Even for those who didn’t medically discharge, they face a jobless rate of 11.2 per cent which is still almost twice the national unemployment rate.

 

In addition, another 19 per cent of veterans are underemployed in jobs beneath their capabilities and for those who are employed they experience an average drop in their salaries of 30 per cent.

 

Veterans have a huge range of skills and experience but these figures show that these skills and experience are not valued by civil society.

 

We have to do better.

 

This is why Labor has recently announced our $121 million Veterans Employment Program. A plan, with real money on the table, to assist those coming out of the ADF to move into meaningful employment.

 

This is not about charity.

 

This is about ensuring the wealth of experience and skills a veteran has is not lost in translation to civilian life.

 

There are four elements to our veterans employment program which will ensure we bring about changes that help our veterans move into meaningful employment.

 

Firstly, we will provide eligible businesses with training grants of up to $5,000 in order to help veterans gain the skills and experience they need to obtain a civilian job.

 While businesses are open to employing veterans, there can be specific short term skills gaps or lack of specific experience which act as a barrier to employment for an otherwise suitable veteran applicant.

 

For example, the veteran may be one unit shy of a certificate or fail to meet the minimum two years prior experience meaning that they won’t get through the Job and Person, tick and flick process and will be immediately discounted prior to the interview.

 

These $5,000 grants are designed to overcome this barrier.

 

In addition, Labor will work with the Industry Advisory Committee to develop and provide proper resources to a national campaign which will highlight the many benefits and transferable skills of those leaving the ADF and encourage businesses to employ veterans.

 

Secondly, we will establish an employment and transition service which will provide greater individualised and tailored support to transitioning veterans over a longer period of time when transitioning.

 

This service will provide one on one support and advice to transitioning ADF personnel including a comprehensive audit of the skills obtained during their service and ensure appropriate civilian recognition is obtained. They will also address other barriers to successful transition and employment such as secure housing and psychosocial support.

 

Importantly, this service will continue to be available to those leaving the ADF for a period of five years.

 Speaking with veterans, I know that often times individuals leave the ADF with a clear career plan or goal in mind but it may not always work out. Therefore we are proposing that the service provide proactive contact and support for the first 12 months and continue to be available over five years.

 

Thirdly our plan, will reduce the length of service required to access the higher levels of support in the Career Training Assistance Scheme.

 

Our plan brings the qualifying period for extra education or training assistance down from the current requirement of 12 years’ service to 5 years and the top level of assistance down from 18 years to 15 years.

 

In addition, we plan to increase the amount of funding available to individuals and allow for greater flexibility in the way transitioning members utilise the funding such as obtaining multiple qualifications to achieve their career goal.

 

Lastly, we will work with states and territories and peak industry bodies to identify opportunities for greater automatic recognition of their many skills. 

 

Our employment policies are in large part a result of the many conversations I have had with ex-service organisations, veterans and their families as well as strong evidence provided to the Senate Inquiry into suicide by veterans and ex-service personnel.

 

Labor supported the establishment of this inquiry and we were pleased to see the Government accept the majority of the recommendations in full.

 

The Senate Inquiry called for a number of different reviews to take place, including a review by the Australian National Audit Office, one by the Productivity Commission and a larger scoping study on veterans’ advocacy and support services.

 

While the Audit Office review has now closed for submissions, I urge every member in this room to make a submission to the Productivity Commission review and the Scoping Study.

 

As we saw with the Senate inquiry, these reports are only as strong as the submissions made to them.

 

It is clear from the Senate Inquiry and National Mental Health Commission Review that veterans’ families need a voice too. Too often they are overlooked, but they too are deeply affected by the unique nature of military life.

 

When an individual serves in the ADF their family serves with them.

 

During service, we know that ADF members can be deployed internationally for months at a time, with this separation causing emotional stress for partners and their children. And when they are not deployed, there is still the chance of regular reposting around the country as families chose between staying together or uprooting their lives to move with their loved ones. 

 

Post service, this life changes again, particularly when their loved one has been medically discharged as many partners become carers, taking on the additional roles at home.

 

This critical role of families is often not acknowledged or appreciated as much as it should.

 

It is for this reason that Labor has committed to developing a National Family Engagement and Support Strategy for Defence Personnel and Veterans.

 

This strategy will provide a national blueprint to include engagement of DVA and Defence with military families. It will address the fragmented nature of engagement between Defence, DVA and families and ensure families receive the information and support they need that is consistent across the country and importantly give them a voice and a seat at the table.

 

This is a direct recommendation from the National Mental Health Commission Review.

 

As I said at the beginning, when a member undertakes to serve our nation, they put their lives on hold, and we in turn commit to looking after them.

 

Veterans deserve to know that if they require medical treatment, particularly if it is a result of their service, that they will be able to access treatment and that their DVA health card won’t act as a disincentive to treat them.

 

But at the moment I am concerned that in some circumstances, this isn’t the case due to the Government’s ongoing Medicare Freeze and its impact on the DVA fee schedule.

 

As you are aware, the Repatriation Medical Fee Schedule is tied to the Medicare Rebate and indexed in line with the Medicare Rebate Indexation.  As such, this fee has remained frozen since 2014. With no indexation veterans are telling me that this freeze has led to them being denied access to services.

 

This is backed up by a survey released last year by Australian Medical Association which found that almost 30 per cent of specialists are no longer committed to treating veterans and are adopting a range of approaches including closing their books to new DVA funded patients.

 

In addition, approximately only 44 per cent of respondents said they will keep seeing veterans if the freeze continues, with the remainder considering other ways to charge veterans or closing their books entirely.

 

Frankly this is unacceptable.

 

Veterans receive DVA heath cards as recognition of the injuries they have incurred while in service to our country.

 This card has an implicit promise that they will be able to access healthcare when needed, to ensure they can continue to live full and productive lives.

 

Instead it is these very cards which are closing doors to veterans.

 

This becomes an even bigger issue in areas where access to those services is already limited.

 

I recently met a veteran in Darwin, Andrew, who is a gold card holder and was having difficulty accessing a psychiatrist as a direct result of local providers not accepting DVA clients.

 

Andrew expressed his frustration at not being able to access help, particularly when it was his own entitlements which was blocking access.

 

The freeze needs to be lifted immediately to ensure health care is accessible to all veterans.

 

In closing, I would like to briefly mention a commitment which Labor announced just prior to Anzac Day.

 

As I said at the beginning, in many communities you are the reason commemorative events take place.

 

Remembering this sacrifice keeps the memories of those who have fallen alive. Part of this is passing memories onto the next generation.

 

We no longer have anyone who survived World War I but it is critical that we remember their experiences and sacrifices. A practical way Labor is proposing we do this is by establishing the Western Front Fellowship.

 Our proposal of the Fellowship is based on a successful Canadian program, which will place post- secondary students at the Sir John Monash Centre for a period of four months to act as tour guides presenting some of Australia’s most important history to visitors.

 

Fellows will work full time and be supported financially through a stipend wage, receive rent assistance and be partially reimbursed for their flights.

 

They will have the opportunity to develop and refine their expertise in Australian military history, be responsible for taking tours, giving presentations, and answering questions about Australia’s military history around the Western Front to visitors to the Sir John Monash Centre.

 

We believe this initiative is an innovative and practical way to continue to commemorate our Western Front story and keep the memories of our diggers alive.

 

In conclusion I want to again thank you for the work you do.

 

Thank you again for inviting me to be a part of your congress here today.

 

I look forward to continuing our conversations on how we can best support veterans and their loved ones.