Sunshine Coast’s veterans say they have been left feeling snubbed, after the Australian Government “axed” plans for a number of wellbeing centres across regional Australia.
The local veteran community, as well as the Federal Opposition, have slammed what they claim are cuts to planned regional Veterans wellbeing centres as “disgraceful” and “disappointing”.
The eight proposed wellbeing centres, including one on the Sunshine Coast, were axed in the Federal Budget, with the Albanese Government deeming the centres as “rorts and waste”.
The Government added that it’s delivering on its commitment to a number of such centres.
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The previous Coalition Government committed $70 million in the March Budget to support the creation of a further 14 Veteran Wellbeing Centres, based in locations with a significant Veteran population.
Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace, said the Government’s $23.3 million cut from the previous Government’s Budget commitment, resulted in veteran communities across Australia being denied access to support and advocacy services.
Sunshine Coast Young Veterans President Peter Kennedy said cuts to the veteran hubs were “disgraceful”.
“This is a complete disrespect to our veterans and their families,” Mr Kennedy said.
“If you’re a veteran and you wake up this morning to read this, you shake your head, and you ask yourself, ‘Why did I bother? Why did I bother serving my country if my nation doesn’t care about me?’
“It’s a very sad day to be a veteran.”
However, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh responded by saying Labor, “took a commitment to 10 additional veterans’ hubs to the election, and we’re delivering on that, through the Budget”.
He added: “The reality is, the previous government did not commit any specific funding to any specific sites for veterans’ and families’ hubs.”
Mr Wallace called for bipartisan support for the region’s veterans.
“This is about backing our veterans on behalf of a grateful nation,” he said.
“It is disappointing to see Labor turn its back on regions like the Sunshine Coast and unthinkable to see cuts for veterans’ services. It is even more of a blow as the Sunshine Coast is one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, with a large veteran population.”
RSL Sunshine Coast and Regional District President Ian Hall said the veteran hubs served a beneficial purpose for the veterans and their families.
“I’m rather surprised because I thought, as a result of the Royal Commission, which is being conducted at the moment, it has been identified that these veteran hubs are needed and are beneficial to veterans,” Mr Hall said.
The two Sunshine Coast advocates said the knock back would unite the community and strengthen their resolve to support veterans and their families.
“If we can do anything towards advantaging the situation for veterans and for these hubs, then we will go in and we will fight for them,” Mr Hall said.
“The veteran community here can see the need for these hubs, so therefore, as always, mates will look after mates, and we will go into fight to make sure this occurs.”
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Barnaby Joyce, demanded an urgent explanation from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as to how veteran support services were deemed wasteful in Labor’s first budget.
A Department of Veterans’ Affairs Spokesperson said: “While there is no current funding allocated for a veterans’ and families’ hub on the Sunshine Coast – DVA will continue to engage with the veteran community and remains committed to ensuring veterans and families have access to the supports they need, where they need it most.”
Mr Keogh said it was important to address some big misconceptions that the Liberal-Nationals were putting out about the veterans’ and families’ hubs commitment in the Budget.
“We’ve seen a number of local Liberal and National MPs stand up and say that they think that there’s things that have been cut,” Mr Keogh said.
“The reality is, the previous government did not commit any specific funding to any specific sites for veterans’ and families’ hubs. We have a mandate as a new government to deliver on our election commitment to 10 Veterans’ and Families Hubs.”
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs Spokesperson said, in the October 2022 Budget, the Government invested $46.7 million to expand the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub network across the country, complementing the existing network, with 10 additional hubs in areas with significant defence and veteran communities.
This commitment included a new hub in Ipswich and the continuation of the work underway to establish a new hub in the North Brisbane/Moreton area of South-East Queensland.
Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs offer a one-stop shop for local veteran services, including health and mental health services, wellbeing support, advocacy, employment and housing advice, and social connection specific to their local communities.
DVA had a clear message to veterans and families on the Sunshine Coast.
“We are here for you. Please contact us if you need support … you can find out about our services on our website at Department of Veterans’ Affairs or contact us on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372),” the spokesperson said.
An overview of DVA grants, including how organisations can apply for funding, is available via: Department of Veterans’s Affairs – Grants Programs.
The eight Veteran Wellbeing Centres not included in Labor’s budget include Mackay, Wide-Bay Burnett, Sunshine Coast, Mid-north coast, Wagga Wagga, Greater Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula.
The Treasurer Jim Chalmers was approached for comment but redirected SCN back to the DVA.
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