Defence SA, $20,909,000

Minister:

Hon. J.K. Szakacs, Minister for Trade and Investment, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Veterans' Affairs.

Departmental Advisers:

Mr M. Opie, Chief Executive, Defence SA.

Mr P. Murdock, Director of Finance, Defence SA.

Ms B. Wheeler, Director, Veterans SA.

The ACTING CHAIR: We now move to the Veterans SA portfolio with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. I declare the proposed payments open for examination. Would the minister like to make a statement and introduce his advisers?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Thank you, Chair. I am very pleased to introduce them. With me today as advisers are Mr Matt Opie, Chief Executive of Defence SA; Bianca Wheeler, Director of Veterans SA; and Peter Murdoch, Director of Finance at Defence SA. In opening, can I put on the record my thanks and gratitude and acknowledgement of all those South Australians who have served, who do serve and also note those who will serve. I thank them for their service, I thank them for their sacrifices and I thank them for their ongoing commitment to improving the lives of veterans.

I also make a special acknowledgement and thank the families of those who love veterans and those who support veterans. I thank them for their service. They are often overlooked, but certainly for the efforts that our government is making, we seek to demonstrate a real and material support and acknowledgement of the service of the families and communities of veterans as well.

Mr PEDERICK: I, too, would like to recognise and commend the service of past, present and future service men and women for what they do for this country, what they have done and what they will do. I certainly acknowledge all the others—family, friends and associates—who support that service, especially as we are in interesting times at the moment. I will get into questions on Budget Paper 1, Budget Overview, page 26. Minister, can you explain the Veterans SA Industry Integration and Partnerships program a bit more?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Yes, I am very pleased to. I am also very pleased to note and acknowledge this significant new investment in our state budget to the integration, transition and support of veterans and their families in our community. Materially, the program aims to boost employment opportunities for South Australian veterans by partnering with high-demand industries, whether that is those that are linked to projects of national interest, like AUKUS or further associated defence industries, or other materially important industries and employers. What we seek to do is create veteran-friendly pathways that continue to position South Australia as a national leader in veteran workforce support.

There is no doubt that the future wellbeing and future prosperity of veterans is and will be intrinsically linked to the future prosperity of South Australia. In fact, in other estimates just today, I was reflecting upon the challenges that we have in South Australia from an economic growth perspective, not being now materially around new jobs or a new jobs crisis but it is in fact finding a workforce that is both skilled, available and supporting those industries, particularly in regional communities.

A couple of weeks ago I was speaking to a couple of key industry leaders from Eyre Peninsula, in the member for Flinders' electorate, where significant investment is going into capital growth, with CH4 being one. It was really excellent to be able to have a conversation with CH4 in my dual capacity as Minister for Veterans' Affairs and also Minister for Trade and Investment around, 'Hey, have you thought about veterans?' They had not, and that is probably an encapsulation of what this program seeks to do: providing ready-made support to better match what, in my view and the government's view and the community's view, is an excellent workforce in veterans and those who have recently transitioned into industry and areas of focus that are either struggling for workforce or matching them with high-quality work, well-paid jobs and secure employment.

We know from all the research that one of the reasons that veterans can struggle or find the transition from service to non-service difficult is the drop in security of employment and the drop in pay. If we can approach that head-on, we can go a long way to improving the wellbeing of veterans. It is also really important that, as I think we have done in the last 12 months as a government, we find a way to walk with ease between commemoration—looking back to remember the stories and to tell the stories—and also committing ourselves to ensure that we invest and dedicate ourselves to the lives of those who serve and who have served.

This new funding, which has been on top of new funding from last year—$500,000 a year across the forward estimates, baked in—gives Veterans SA and supporting partners much more capacity. Now what we have to do is continue to work within the employer network, which is continuing to grow and thrive, to put the community's words into action. We talk about remembering service and we talk about being thankful and grateful for service; the best way we can do that is help make the lives of veterans today better for our intervention.

Mr PEDERICK: How does the Industry Integration and Partnerships Program differ from the South Australian Veteran Employer Network, or is it essentially an extension of that initiative?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: It is not an extension, but it complements. The Veteran Employer Network is a network of 47 employers who are committed, often through their own resourcing, to supporting veterans programs. Some are big and bold about it. We see amazing, supportive, well-funded and resourced veterans transition programs from defence primes—for example, Boeing and SAAB, just to name a couple—and then we have smaller, more ad hoc opportunity relationships that Veterans SA forms with employers that are around that one-on-one case management and matching.

What we will seek to do is to leverage off the existing employer network—build it and grow it and directly fund programs through this $250,000 per annum recurrent—but also be able to go out to the sector more broadly and seek co-design of programs.

I continue to be really inspired by the number of employers, and employers or businesses that are seeking to be new entrants into the market here in South Australia, that want to talk to me about veterans employment. It is really positive. So I think the momentum is there and this will give us the capacity as a government to implement programs across the forward estimates that will now materially deliver on those.

Mr PEDERICK: Are the companies that are current members of the South Australian Veteran Employer Network the same ones that will be part of the new program?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: There will not be a matter of inclusion or exclusion. As I mentioned earlier on, the implementation and co-design of these programs is now occurring. It is my expectation, if not guarantee, that there will be new entrants and new programs and new partnerships that this will facilitate. I think materially this will be able to support some of the smaller SMEs and small family businesses to participate in group-based matching in a more bespoke way than their existing buy-in or support into the employer network facilitates.

To my hope, it will also allow us to work with industry bodies—not just employers but also industry bodies and peak associations—to be able to facilitate programs that they can bring scale to. The optimal outcome here, which I strongly anticipate and I will be working hard to do as minister, is to find co-funding and matching from private industry to back this in.

Mr PEDERICK: I understand that the program partners with companies in high-demand sectors to establish veteran-friendly employment pathways. Can you give us a bit more information please on what sectors are considered high demand?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am happy to refer to those sectors but also provide some detail to the member of the businesses that are involved. It is quite extensive, and, perhaps just as a snapshot, we have everything from: Adelaide Brighton Cement; Aimpoint, who provide support for skills into the primes; Boeing; City of Salisbury, a long-term participant in this, which is really progressive in the way they have stood up their own internal resourcing to support it; Department for Correctional Services; other government agencies; Serco; and South Australia Police.

One of the recommendations from the royal commission, that the member would no doubt be aware of, is to further enhance and streamline the pathways from military service into the public sector. Coming in as minister I am really pleased to see the strong engagement from SAPOL and the Department for Correctional Services.

This is somewhat adjacent to the question, I apologise, but through the work that Veterans SA is undertaking with DPC as the co-leads into the response to the royal commission, the streamlining of public sector entry is materially important, so we think there is a capacity for the scaling up of our support and, through the employer network priority industries, to really support some clearer pathways into the public sector for veterans as well.

Frankly, it is probably a bit underdone. If you see the unique offerings that veterans can bring from a skill set, and the diversity of needs of the public sector, I think we are a bit underdone and we would like to do better.

Mr PEDERICK: I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 1, page 161, program 3, Veterans SA. Has the minister met with the CEO of RSL South Australia in relation to the Blackwood and Districts RSL? If not, is he going to?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I have spoken to the RSL on remaining briefed by Veterans SA, who meets regularly with the CEO of the RSL.

Mr PEDERICK: In regard to that, is the minister confident that the proposed sale of the Blackwood RSL premises is being undertaken in accordance with RSL South Australia's constitution?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I have not investigated that. It is not within any of my statutory or legal or reportable responsibilities.

Mr PEDERICK: I note in the latest Veterans' Advisory Council communique that the director has provided updates on regional veteran issues. Can you elaborate a bit more on what those issues are?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I certainly can, and I also take the opportunity to acknowledge the really good work of Veterans SA, in collaboration with a few other partners, in respect of their regional outreach. The regional outreach was something that I kicked off last year and has been really scaled up and amped up this year.

To give some context of how these issues and how this consultation and engagement occurs, Veterans SA has visited towns across South Australia—Kadina, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Whyalla and Port Lincoln—and has engaged with veterans, veterans' families, businesses, students, job seekers and career changes across that engagement cycle. Some 3,200 people were part of that engagement across those five towns, which was quite impressive.

In addition to these roadshows, Veterans SA has also partnered with Legacy and RSL SA to deliver targeted community connection sessions in Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla. These sessions provided valuable forum to connect directly with local veterans and families, listen to their experiences and share available support services and opportunities.

I might pause before I come to some of the specific issues to also note that within the whole of government's support and response to the Whyalla Steelworks administration there has been specific attention turned to the impact on the local veterans and spouses and widows of the veterans' community. I was very pleased to engage with Veterans SA very early on and through the whole of government response that has had a degree of specific attention as well.

The forums raised specific issues around navigating aged care, mental health support, men's health and grant funding opportunities, particularly in understanding the significant grant funding that is available. One of the pieces of feedback was the not the inaccessibility but that they find out about the grant funding after it has closed. They find out about the grant funding when it is too late, so we can do some responsive work around that.

Importantly, the feedback also has spoken volumes about the reason Veterans SA prioritises this, that the people who have attended have felt heard, they have reflected their specific concerns, they have appreciated the informative presentations. Very specifically, they have appreciated and valued the opportunity for the community to come together in a way that sometimes is not facilitated in these regional communities. That is really important work, and the regional engagement, that we will continue to see with a tempo into the future. This is not a one-off but part of a baked-in engagement of Veterans SA.

Mr PEDERICK: I understand that the implementation of a veteran tick box on South Australian Tertiary Admission Centre, SATAC, applications has been proposed. Has there been any progress on this initiative?

The ACTING CHAIR: Member for Hammond, can you make sure you give us the budget line as well?

Mr PEDERICK: Program 3, Veterans SA, Volume 1, page 161 of Budget Paper 4.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised that piece of work is now being formulated to engage with SATAC and the universities. It has not been implemented. It is progressing, but the nature of engagement and the facilitator-engagement through the Veterans' Advisory Council is ongoing.

Mr PEDERICK: I refer to Highlights 2024-25. It has already been acknowledged that, with the South Australian Veteran Employer Network, there are 47 on the website. I think the budget noted 42, but that might have just been an error. How many veterans have secured employment through the South Australian Veteran Employer Network since it was established?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: If there is available information on that, Chair, I will undertake to come back to the member. The director of Veterans SA has advised me that the constitutional employer network was deliberate, with feedback from employers and also participants around the sense to not be driven by quantitative reporting of the network. The key focus was and is to bring like-minded employers and participants together. What is the important iteration of the value of bringing those groups together, the value of the relationships and the value of the network, is then the additional funding which we have brought forth as a government as part of this budget, which will now be to implement programs that will be more quantitative in nature.

Mr PEDERICK: Has there been a decline in unemployed veterans since the network was formed that you have picked up?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We do not have that data. What I can do is seek it from the commonwealth, which holds these data points both as the responsible agency and also as the cross-agency provider of data, if that is available. I am not certain that it will be available.

Mr PEDERICK: Still on highlights, I will go to dot point 2. What 80^th anniversary of World War II events have been supported by the grant fund?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I thank the member for his question. This was a particularly important piece of work this year and one that I must say I was particularly passionate about in bringing forth the largest collective funding round for commemoration in our state's history.

To the member's specific question about those that have been supported, I can advise that the following have been successful in grant funding: RSL Willunga and Districts Sub-Branch, RSL Care SA, Dutton Park Incorporated, Orroroo Historical Society, Cardijn College, RSL Wallaroo Sub-Branch, District Council of Franklin Harbour, Clarendon Historic Hall Incorporated, RSL Eudunda Sub-Branch, RSL Macclesfield Sub-Branch, RSL Mount Barker Sub-Branch, RSL Robe Sub-Branch, RSL Burra Sub-Branch, RSL Crystal Brook Sub-Branch and RSL South Australia.

Mr PEDERICK: I will go to dot point 3. How many applications were there for the Veterans SA Capacity Building Grant Fund in the current financial year?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised there were three applicants.

Mr PEDERICK: And they were all successful in receiving funding?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: They were. Winner winner chicken dinner.

Mr PEDERICK: I refer to dot point 4. Can you provide an overview of the regional outreach events that took place in Port Pirie, Whyalla and Port Augusta?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Further to my previous answer, where I ran through this in some detail, perhaps I can provide some further information for the member specific to his question. The Kadina event occurred on 21 May, Port Pirie on 22 May, Port Augusta on 28 May and Whyalla on 29 May. Kadina had 612 students and teachers, 150 from the general public and 53 exhibitors. Port Pirie had 485 teachers and students, 140 from the general public and 57 exhibitors. Port Augusta had 517 students and teachers, 180 from the general public and 60 exhibitors. Whyalla had 412 students and teachers, 260 from the general public and 54 exhibitors. Port Lincoln had 176 students and teachers, 270 from the general public and 43 exhibitors.

Mr PEDERICK: Have any locations for future regional outreach events been chosen?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised that planning is underway.

Mr PEDERICK: I refer to dot point 5: how many veterans and mentors are participating in this year's Veterans SA mentoring program?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised that 28 mentor-mentee pairs are currently participating.

Mr PEDERICK: Has there been an increase in business professionals applying to be mentors?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised there is a slight increase from last year; I am not advised of the exact number. There is obviously a capacity constraint as well. If there were to be 300 wanting to participate, I am not certain that we could accommodate 300, but we are seeing steady growth, organically, across the years.

Mr PEDERICK: On the Veterans SA website, it mentions that past participants of this program have experienced rewarding outcomes including gaining meaningful employment. How many jobs have been secured as a direct result of the mentoring program?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Likewise to an answer I have provided previously, I will seek to provide any information that I may have. I also reiterate that the design of this program is deliberately around mentorship, engagement and community building—quite distinct from KPIs and quant data.

Mr PEDERICK: I refer to dot point 6: has there been a strong uptake of Veterans SA programs by partners and children of veterans since the eligibility was extended?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Just to clarify, is this in relation to the Career and Business Mentoring Program, or through other programs?

Mr PEDERICK: This is in relation to dot point 6 under highlights 2024-25.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We have seen it twofold: one is that where we have opened up eligibility, we have seen an increase in partners and family; and also where we have designed or opened specific programs that are tailored just to partners and family, we have seen them well subscribed.

Mr PEDERICK: Do you have any measurement of the uptake of the program?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We do. I do not have that detail, but of course these are all enrolled and registered and quite acutely managed by Veterans SA, so I am sure they will. I am happy to take that on notice and bring that back.

Mr PEDERICK: How many applications were there for the Veterans SA Tertiary Scholarship Program this year?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: This is a particular program that is new and, under the stewardship of the director of Veterans SA, has been one that has been really well subscribed and really popular. This is one of those programs that also has a degree of broadened eligibility. I am advised that 38 applications were received, of which six were not eligible and 31 were awarded funding.

Mr PEDERICK: I refer to targets 2025-26, dot point one, and this may be an expansion of a question from earlier. What is being done to meet the target of enhancing connections within the veteran community, specifically for those in regional and remote areas?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: In addition to the advice I have already provided to the committee with respect to the formal regional outreach programs, there has also been a strong commitment by Veterans SA to more closely and collaboratively align with ESOs like RSL, Legacy, and War Widows and then through the commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs when there is regional engagement that that is done with a high degree of connectivity, collectivism so that we do it together and we bring and use opportunities available to the department and to others where there may be a single agency engagement to bring more than one together and to really deliberately seek to build community around that small-touch engagement.

Often these regional communities are small in numbers in terms of veterans, even smaller by way of active service, with more widows. So that has been successful. I meet with Legacy very often, but that is one thing that Legacy has raised with me that has been of great advantage to them. They have seen a high degree of value in the input that our collaboration from Veterans SA has provided them in the way that they are engaging with their constituency as well.

Mr PEDERICK: The Cowork Coplay program is one of the initiatives designed to support partners of current and former ADF members and enhance connections within the veteran community. Can you tell me how many partners/spouses are participating in the current Cowork Coplay program?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: I am advised that when we have that information immediately to hand we will bring that back to the member.

Mr PEDERICK: Referring to the same budget line, I understand that the Northern Adelaide Veterans' and Families' Wellbeing Hub is set to open fairly shortly. What can we expect from the new Northern Adelaide Veterans' and Families' Wellbeing Hub?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: To the extent that I can provide this, it is a fully commonwealth-led project and there is no state contribution to this at all, but he is right in his understanding that it will be beginning its service delivery and opening its doors pretty soon. I do not have a specific date for that.

A similar model to that has been delivered interstate with lives lived well and one that is widely supported by the veterans community. Of particular interest to the northern suburbs, and more broadly to South Australia, is the ability and the capacity—it is twofold—for other ESOs to be able to use that space, to be able to participate in that space, but as I have reflected on a number of times today it is also about the capacity to build community and support community-building around these common user interfaces.

So we are very pleased to see this progressing. It is a great initiative by the commonwealth and I know in my conversations with the federal minister, Minister Keogh, it is one that he is very passionate about, and the federal member out there, Matt Burnell, himself a veteran, is also very passionate about this.

Mr PEDERICK: I will go to dot point 2 and the interaction with all jurisdictions. What work is currently being done with all jurisdictions on matters of importance to the veteran community?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: There are formal structures in the way that is facilitated, engaged and governed. One is an officer to officer level; the Commonwealth, States and Territories Committee; and then there is, of course, the overarching ministerial council, which all states and territories and the commonwealth are engaged in.

I am not sure if it is before me to be able to disclose the entirety of the matters which were discussed; I am sure some are. I know some are in confidence, some are sensitive and others are matters for the public record. It is safe to say and fair to say that the royal commission and the response to the royal commission has informed much of the work of the last 12 months and will inform a significant part of the work across the next financial year as well.

Another matter South Australia is particularly passionate about, as I have already mentioned, is employment pathways, employer matching, and material opportunities to work with the commonwealth to find some scale across other states and territories in respect of our employment-related programs.

But this has certainly been a pretty tough year for the commonwealth and a very tough year for DVA. The findings of the royal commission, the associated trauma impact that that has had on the veterans community, I think have been well managed. It has been delicate, it has been important, and DVA have done a really important piece of work. There are also the reforms that were able to be passed and, just before the last parliament wound up, they modernised and brought some scale to some existing compensation programs. That has also been a significant matter of interest from states.

Mr PEDERICK: In regard to dot point 4, have there been any further movements in relation to the establishment of a dedicated Korean War memorial in Adelaide?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: We continue to engage very closely with the community. The tragic passing of Colonel Peter Scott recently—I attended his funeral. He was a profoundly important voice in that community. I think the profound place that Colonel Scott had within the community was demonstrated by the attendance at his funeral of the former Governor of South Australia, the former Governor-General of Australia, the Chief of Army; all attended his funeral.

We are progressing. I am working closely with the committee. I meet with them regularly. The current status, I guess if you put it that way, is with the committee and they are somewhat early to moderately progressed in terms of ideation of design, location and so on. Government stands ready and willing to continue to support them. I met with Kevin Scarce just last week. It has also been a matter of discussion that I have had personally with members and representatives of the Korean government as well as industry.

This is something that is important. It is correct to say that the Korean War at times can be referred to as the forgotten war. When I was in Korea the week before last, leading a trade mission, I had an absolute dedication, which I was very pleased to be able to do, to attend the United Nations war memorial in Busan, the only United Nations war memorial in the world, and that was a material part of the conversations around: how is a lasting memory and a lasting memorial to those who fought and paid the ultimate sacrifice in Korea honoured here in South Australia? We are very committed to it and I remain optimistic about progress.

Mr PEDERICK: So there has not been a financial allocation from the government in regard to a proposed memorial?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: No, the project is not at a point yet where it can be considered for costings or scoping.

Mr PEDERICK: Thank you.

The ACTING CHAIR: Thank you. The allotted time having expired, I declare the examination of Veterans SA and proposed payments for Defence SA complete. Thank you very much, minister and advisers, and thanks to members of the committee.

Sitting suspended from 12:30 to 13:29.