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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
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Veterans SA

1381 The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (24 September 2019). What specific initiatives have been taken by Veterans SA to encourage cooperation amongst South Australian ex-service organisations to improve efficiencies of time, resources and advocacy effort?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier): I have been advised:

There are 316 ex-service organisations in South Australia, including 133 RSL sub-branches.

One of the motivating factors behind the establishment of the Veterans' Advisory Council (VAC) was to improve cooperation amongst South Australian ex-service organisations. The objectives of the VAC include promoting cooperation across all veterans' organisations in South Australia and providing veterans with an avenue to communicate directly to the highest levels of state government.

Veterans SA engages regularly with South Australian ex-service organisations and associations both digitally—through communications activities on social media, e-marketing and its website—as well as through outreach activities including individual and group consultations. This outreach promotes ex-service organisations and their activities as well as allowing for the identification of opportunities for collaboration between organisations that benefit the veteran community.

Mr Rob Manton, Director, Veterans SA, convened an advocacy working group with a group of ex-service organisation representatives on 17 October 2018, 6 February 2019 and 9 May 2019 to discuss matters pertaining to veteran advocates across ex-service organisations and to highlight issues that need to be addressed at a federal level through the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

The Partnerships Hub at the Jamie Larcombe Centre was developed in response to recurring requests from the veteran community for a 'one stop shop' to be included in the model of care and facility design of the Jamie Larcombe Centre. The purpose of the hub is to provide access to vital services offered by ex-service organisations such as advocacy support, employment assistance and family support, while enabling ex-service organisations to collaborate and share expertise and resources to further meet the needs of veterans.

The hub has invested a significant amount of time and effort connecting and collaborating with ex-service and veterans support organisations over the past 18 months. Advocates and social welfare officers have utilised the Hub facilities to engage with veterans, in particular clients of the Jamie Larcombe Centre. This has resulted in a reduction in confusion and travel time for veterans when identifying suitable locations for services. Employment and rehabilitation services forums have also been initiated by Veterans SA and the hub in order to bring together the key stakeholders and client groups in a cooperative setting for the benefit of the veteran community.

On 26 November 2018, Veterans SA invited members of the veteran community to attend a town hall meeting in the Drill Hall, Torrens Training Depot where I attended and answered questions from those present on matters of concern to veterans. This was the first such meeting since the establishment of Veterans SA and the VAC.

On 1 November 2019, Veterans SA will host a Veterans' Information Day that will include the 2019 Premiers town hall meeting for veterans. The day will include a veteran's employment in defence industry forum, including a briefing from Prince's Trust Australia on entrepreneurial opportunities for veterans, an update from the Centenary of Anzac Centre of Excellence on research into veteran's mental health issues, a briefing from the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation and a feedback session on the Partnerships Hub.

Veterans SA coordinates the attendance of South Australian organisations at Australian Defence Force transition seminars held in Adelaide. The next seminar is being held on 31 October 2019 and Veterans SA has had Australian government approval to establish a South Australian area that will include representatives of local ex-service organisations, the Defence Teaming Centre and the Office of the Public Sector to provide advice on the opportunities in South Australia for transitioning service personnel.

These are examples of the many initiatives undertaken by Veterans SA to generate outcomes for those who have served in Australia's military. Veterans SA continues to provide a link for the serving and ex-serving community to the government.

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