The Central Coast has the largest number of Department of Veterans clients in NSW and the NSW Opposition has called for a more proactive approach to improving veterans’ mental health and wellbeing.
The Coast has 4,798 clients with the Department of Veterans, which is over 1,000 more than any other NSW region.
It also has the most disability vets (1,245), dependents (1,995), war widows (1,129) and Gold and White Card holders.
NSW Shadow Minister for Veterans, Greg Warren, said figures released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show more than 1,200 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel have committed suicide in the past 20 years.
Warren said with the first hearing date of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide coming up on November 26, the NSW Government must offer support and resources to the Commission both prior to, during and after the hearings.
“We have seen study after report after investigation, yet nothing has ever been done at a state and federal level to actually address the issue of suicide among ADF personnel and veterans,” Warren said.
“It’s alarming that more than 1,200 ADF personnel and veterans have committed suicide in the past 20 years.
“It’s also troublesome that we don’t know how many of those suicides were by NSW-based ADF personnel and veterans.
“That demonstrates the systems designed to help and monitor the health and wellbeing of ADF personnel and veterans at a federal and state level are broken.
“The NSW Government has been far too passive in this space – preferring to handball responsibility off to their counterparts in Canberra.
“Veterans and their families will not accept another inquiry, report, investigation or commission that doesn’t lead to real and positive change, and they will not accept a State Government that fails to take this issue seriously.”
Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, said she had seen a lack of local support.
“I’ve had countless conversations with DVA families on the Coast, who have let me know just how difficult it is to navigate the system of supports,” Tesch said.
“There are so many organisations working in this area, but for families seeking support, finding the help for their individual needs is a complicated process, and too many veterans are falling through the gaps as a result.
“We have a number of champion individuals here on the Central Coast who are doing their own great work to support veterans in our community, in the absolute absence of a holistic, government-led coordinated approach.
“It’s Mental Health Month this October, and it’s well overdue for the NSW Government to start taking a proactive approach to supporting veterans and their families.”
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said the NSW Government had led the call for a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
“Mental health and suicide prevention are a priority for the NSW Government, with an $87M investment over three years in new suicide prevention initiatives,” Crouch said.
“These programs contribute to the Premier’s Priority to reduce NSW’s suicide rate by 20 per cent by 2023.
“This priority is included in the flagship NSW Veterans Strategy and Action Plan, launched earlier this year.
“The plan recognises and honours the contribution of veterans and provides support.
“NSW is home to the National Centre for Veterans Healthcare (NCVH), Australia’s first integrated healthcare service caring for veterans’ physical and mental health.
“The NCVH is part of the Concord Repatriation Hospital redevelopment, to which the NSW Government contributed $341M.”
Terry Collins and Maisy Rae