On 29 August 2025, the Senate’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee made a landmark recommendation: that the legislation establishing the Defence and Veteran Services Commission should be amended to specifically include veteran families.

If implemented by the government, this will be the first time that veteran families have been specifically included in legislation governing the veteran sector. We are at the starting blocks when it comes to properly caring for and supporting the needs of veteran families in Australia, and this important step not only sends an important signal to the families of veterans, it also creates an obligation to include them.

Why this matters for veteran and defence families

While Australia has seen significant reforms in the care of veterans—and rightly so—their families have been left behind. The model of care for defence families and veteran families has barely changed since the end of WWII.

Without families specifically being included in the legislation that governs the system, there is no obligation to support them or inquire into their needs. The majority of families remain largely invisible and the impacts that defending Australia has on them are left unmitigated.

A shift from rhetoric to action

While we have seen rhetoric change in the last few years and the word family included in initiative and policy titles; it hasn’t translated to practical, impactful and meaningful change for them.

This recommendation by the Senate’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee however, could start to change this. It would mean from the very start the Defence and Veteran Services Commission has an obligation to include families and inquire into the impacts of service on them. It has an obligation to make recommendations in their interests that go further than helping Defence and DVA to hear more from them.

Our contribution to the review

As part of the inquiry, we made a submission highlighting the urgent need for the explicit inclusion of families of veterans in the legislation. We argued that families are currently left out of veteran-related legislation, giving them limited standing in the system despite carrying the ongoing impacts of service. Schedule 9 presents an opportunity for Parliament to change this by ensuring families are visible and properly recognised.

Our submission also called for a stronger object for the new Commission—one focused on reducing the incidence of suicide and suicidality among veterans and their families, rather than simply improving suicide prevention. We recommended that the Act include a clear definition of “family” based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics framework, recognising the wide range of relationships affected by service. We also reinforced the need for independence, accountability and transparency in the Commission to rebuild trust.

Our CEO also appeared at the Senate hearings to provide evidence, highlighting the lived experiences of defence and veteran families and advocating on their behalf. 

The road ahead

We have a long way to go when it comes to providing support for all families of veterans in Australia. By implementing this recommendation, the government has the opportunity to they are listening and most importantly demonstrate that the families of veterans matter. 

Learn more:

• Watch the hearing here

• Read the final report here

• Read our submission here

The post Senate Committee recommends historic change for veteran and defence families first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

Following our successful advocacy and the support of numerous Senators earlier this year, the Senate Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee announced and inquiry into the legislative framework which governs the establishment of a Defence and Veteran Services Commission. This Commission implements Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Recommendation 122.  

In summary, we support the implementation of Recommendation 122 and would like to see the objects of the Act strengthened. In his 2023 National Press Club Address, the Chair of the Royal Commission, Nick Kaldas APM highlighted the lack of attention and meaningful engagement with issues facing veterans and their families. The Royal Commission highlighted a significant gap in the veteran system and that was the inability of any one existing entity to monitor the ecosystem of agencies responsible for the wellbeing veterans and their families, particularly through the lens of suicide prevention. This lack of oversight results in a fragmented and narrow approach to suicide prevention that does not support a systems level understanding of suicide and suicidality in this population responsibility for suicide prevention. 

Object of the Defence and Veteran Services Commission 

For us, the object of the Commission needs to be stronger and more specific than ‘improve suicide prevention’. The outcome veterans and their families are seeking is zero preventable deaths in our community. The complex nature of suicide and suicidality however makes zero almost impossible to achieve. ‘Toward zero suicides’ is a suicide prevention concept that was discussed at length during the Royal Commission and has since been picked up by the NSW Government. This too ought to be picked up in the Commission’s founding objects.   

Ultimately, this Commission exists to reduce the rate of suicide in the veteran population. In doing so it can positively impact wellbeing outcomes. We have therefore suggested an alternative object: 

“…to improve wellbeing outcomes for veterans and their families and reduce the incidents of suicide and suicidality among the veteran community through the provision of independent, evidence-based advice of system reform.” 

By design, this object also broadens the remit of the Commission beyond current and former serving ADF members and the Australian Government. Why? Two reasons,  

1. Veteran suicide doesn’t belong to one element of the system. It isn’t just government’s problem to solve. As the Royal Commission notes, every actor within the defence and veteran community has a role to play in preventing suicide and suicidality among this community; and  
   
2. While today the focus of the Commission will be on veterans, it must also have room to evolve to ensure significant system gaps are closed. These gaps see families of veterans left out of the system of support, yet they are at a higher risk than the general population of suffering a mental illness and suicidal ideation. 

Inclusion of Veteran Families 

Our Submission also continues to make the case for the inclusion of families within the formal frameworks that govern the veteran system. Data from a 2019 Family Wellbeing study shows that families of veterans are at a higher risk of experiencing suicidal ideation and psychological distress compared to the general population. The families of veterans shoulder the human costs of maintaining Australia’s peace, security, and way of life. It starts from the moment an Australian completes one day’s service – becoming a veteran and continues long after that service ends. The Parliament has an opportunity to set this Commission up to be future focused and ensure that it has the flexibility and scope it needs to investigate these issues as well. Military service has real impacts beyond the veteran and those too need to be factored into system reform. 

The DVS Commission is a positive step  

The establishment of the Commission is a positive step towards systemic and strategic reform in the veteran sector. We are pleased to see action towards implementing Recommendation 122, however must not forget those that brought us here – the families of veterans. Families of veterans have a right to be seen, heard and supported. We are hopeful the parliament agrees.  

Read our full submission to the Senate Inquiry

You can read our full submission here.

The post Submission to Senate Inquiry into legislation establishing Defence and Veteran Services Commission  first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

Over the course of the last few months, we have been heavily involved in the consultations that have taken place as part of both the generalist and core design group for a national peak body for the veteran support organisation sector. This work is in response to Recommendation 89 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. This work builds on the previous consultations undertaken by the community sector throughout the years of the Royal Commission which was led by RSL Australia and a coalition of other veterans support organisations.

Why a National Peak Body is needed in the veteran support sector

The consultations have been very in depth and have highlighted the significant need for a peak body to exist within our sector. They have demonstrated the need for that peak body to ensure that it builds capacity and capability across the sector while doing its best to bring together a very diverse community sector.

What is a Peak Body and why it matters for our sector

Peak bodies are not new they exist all around our community in other sectors across Australia and internationally. They exist where there are multiple organisations or multiple interests surrounding a particular issue or a group of people. While not new as a concept it is new for our sector.

Key themes from the consultation process

During the consultations we have heard a lot about the importance of equity and equality. The role and responsibilities of the peak body and of course the importance of independence, accountability, transparency and strong governance.

Looking ahead: a collaborative opportunity for sector growth

This is a unique opportunity to start to come together and truly collaborate as a sector. We look forward to receiving the outcomes of this consultation work and hearing about the next steps as soon as they become available.

Our role remains: advocating for war widows and veteran families

Importantly a peak body will not replace this organisation, nor will it replace our advocacy work it is just another vehicle through which we can raise the voices of war widows, defence and veteran families; and work on systemic change across our sector that benefits as many as possible.

The post Peak Body Consultation first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

On 13 February 2025, the Senate referred an inquiry into Compensation and income support for veterans to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Reference Committee. The Committee is set to inquire into the representation of and advice provided by ex-service organisations, commercial entities, not-for-profits and individuals to veterans and families in relation to accessing compensation and income support.

How we gathered feedback from veteran families

We asked veterans and their families to share their views with us so we could prepare our response. We had a small response to our request, but it was enough to validate our thinking. We have just made our submission and in summary here is what it says.

Core issues in the current veteran compensation scheme

The veteran compensation scheme is notoriously difficult to access, often requiring veterans and their families to seek help to navigate their entitlements. Despite recent legislative consolidation, the underlying culture of mistrust and adversarial nature of the system remains unchanged.

Our submission: a call for reform and recognition

Our submission outlines several core principles, including the unique nature of military service linking those to the compensation system that has since evolved and calls for a return to these principles. In particular, we highlight a critical point of failure in the system, where veterans and their families have to rely on third parties to access their entitlements, facing complex processes and lifelong journeys with the Department of Veterans Affairs (‘DVA’).

Voices of veterans and families: lived experiences with DVA

In our submission we highlight the views of veterans, and their families shared with us. They had mixed views on the claims system, highlighting issues such as bureaucracy, inconsistent advocacy quality, and unnecessary delays. The veterans and their families saw a need for enhanced training, accountability and service standards.

Read our full submission to the Senate Inquiry

You can read our full submission here.

The post Our submission to Senate Inquiry into Compensation and Income Support for Veterans first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

Overview of our response

In summary, our response to the strategy highlights the importance of supporting and empowering the families of veterans to achieve a stronger, more sustainable, and resilient defence and veteran community. Our response advocates for improvements in multiple areas. While we welcome the existence of a strategy, it needs to be bolder and more practical in supporting families.

Key areas for improvement

Outdated Model of Care: We highlight that the current model of care is outdated and does not adequately support families. We challenge the core assumptions this strategy is built on.

Recommended actions

We urge the Government to take substantive and practical steps to support families, ensuring they are not invisible for another five years. We emphasise the need for immediate action to support families and highlight the critical role of family support in recruitment, retention, and overall defence capability. Specifically, we encourage the following actions:

• Lifetime mental health treatment for children of deceased veterans
• Extending mental health treatment to partners, parents, and children of veterans
• Providing in-home care support for families with young children
• Removing dependency-based language from policies

Call to action

Want to support our calls for action for defence and veteran families? Let us know by emailing ceo@fov.org.au or write to us with your experiences and what you would like to see or what you expect the support for defence and veteran families to look like in Australia. Let’s build that future together.

The post Improving support for defence and veteran families: our response to the wellbeing strategy 2025-2030 first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

Why your input matters

The Inquiry will review various aspects of the current and former superannuation schemes for ADF members. This includes the legislative framework, the Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme, the governance of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, and the rights of account holders. It will also address the mechanisms for reclassifying military discharges and the effectiveness of different superannuation schemes.

Impact on families

Superannuation schemes affect more than just veterans; they impact families, including widows and widowers. Your insights and experiences can help us understand the broader implications and improve these schemes for everyone involved.

How you can help

Please share your experiences and thoughts on the superannuation schemes. Your feedback is invaluable in making informed recommendations to the Committee.

Contact Us:

• Email: ceo@fov.org.au 
• Mail: PO Box 146, Chatswood NSW 2057

Share your story today

Your story can make a difference. Help us contribute to this important inquiry by sharing your experiences with ADF superannuation schemes. Reach out to us via email or mail and let your voice be heard.

The post Have your say on ADF Superannuation Schemes – Share your experiences first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.