To the Minister for Defence Personnel and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon Matt Keogh MP,
Defence Families of Australia (DFA) write in support of the suggestions outlined in the draft Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024 under the Veterans’ Legislation Reform.
Since 1986, DFA has been the Ministerially-appointed group representing the equities of the families of current serving ADF members. As the official advisors to Government and Defence, DFA advocates for ongoing improvement in policy and practice. Our aim is to reduce the negative impacts of military service on ADF families, and to support the positive aspects of this unique Defence lifestyle.
We believe these crucial and timely proposed updates will assist in simplifying an unnecessarily complex legislative framework, to provide better support to veterans and their families.
DFA views it critical that these changes protect and uphold the entitlements and dignity of veterans and their families, and ensures that no veteran or their family will be worse off under the Bill.
As every current serving ADF member will become a veteran, our team has a strong interest in ensuring members and their families will be able to access the support they need following a member’s service to Australia.
It is imperative the veterans’ entitlements, compensation and rehabilitation system be simplified, modernised, and applied consistently without adding to a veteran’s or their family’s administrative burden.
We would also like to express our gratitude to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide for being the catalyst for this change.
We thank you for your invitation to provide feedback on the exposure draft legislation to simplify and harmonise veterans’ entitlements, compensation and rehabilitation system.
Yours sincerely,
Defence Families of Australia