Close but not quite
A message from our CEO, Renee Wilson.
On Thursday 04 September 2025 The Hon. Matt Keogh MP made this speech to the Parliament, addressing the progress made since the Royal Commission handed over its final report on 4 September 2024.
Minister Keogh used the opportunity to address the Senate Inquiry into the establishment of the Defence and Veteran Services Commission and noted that:
“I want to acknowledge the recent Senate inquiry report into the legislative basis for the commission and thank the senators, for their work, and those that gave evidence. It has always been the government’s view that the commission would be best provided for in its own standalone legislation, something that was not procedurally possible for us to do at the beginning of this year. We will do this. The commissioner will be appointed by the Governor-General, to provide greater independence, and we will ensure there is appropriate inclusion of defence and veteran families in its functions.”
Progress here is positive however when comparing Recommendation 2 from the Senate’s report to the response here we are not confident this will be implemented.
Recommendation 2 says:
“The Committee recommends that the Australian Government considers amending Schedule 9 of the Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2025 to include a reference to veterans’ families for the purpose of the Defence and Veterans’ Services Commissioner’s functions.”
Ensuring there is appropriate inclusion within functions of the Commission doesn’t create the obligation to include them, to investigate matters that affect them nor recommend system changes to better support them.
For families, it means they can expect much of the same. Their needs remain unseen and under-supported. They will remain on the periphery of a support system that expects them to look after our veterans forsaking their own health and wellbeing in the process.
We want to see them included in legislation because this is what creates the duty to support them. Words and promises fall well short of what is required here to build trust within this fundamental element of the veteran community. They need to see real commitment, real progress and real action.
