VETERANS AFFAIRS
Support and Assistance for Veterans and Their Families
Our combat veterans have been prepared to sacrifice their lives for our country, and this should be recognised in service and post-service support and assistance, including medical care, rehabilitation and transition to civilian life. Families of those wounded or lost in action must similarly be given the appropriate care and support to cope with the physical, financial and emotional challenges they face. Care after combat, no more troops left to rot on the street.
Veterans' Homelessness
Approximately 1,500 to 5,400 Australian veterans experience homelessness annually, with thousands more at risk. Veterans are nearly three times more likely to face homelessness than the general population. Key causes include financial strain, mental health issues, and service-related injuries. Veterans are disproportionately represented among older, single individuals facing unemployment.
Veterans' Suicide
The latest available, validated data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) confirms that 73 serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members died by suicide in 2023.
The 2023 breakdown of the 73 deaths, 66 were ex-serving and 7 permanent / reserve personnel.
1840 serving and ex-serving members have died by suicide between 1997 and 2023.
The risk factors for ex-serving males are significantly more likely to die by suicide than the general Australian male population, with a rate if 26.4 deaths per 100,000 per year, particularly those who separated involuntary.
Veterans' Incarceration
Australian veterans face complex reintegration issues, with studies indicating a significant number experience trauma, mental health conditions, and social exclusion, leading to higher incarceration rates than the general population. Common offenses are often linked to untreated PTSD, substance abuse, and difficulties transitioning, with many incarcerated for minor crimes.
Incarceration Risk: Research indicates Australian veterans may be over-represented in the prison system, with studies estimating a substantial number face legal issues shortly after leaving the military.
Key Drivers: Contributing factors include mental health conditions (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), substance abuse, homelessness, and difficulties adjusting to civilian life.
Demographics: Veterans in prison are often, but not exclusively, male, and are described as a vulnerable, often underserved, population.
Specific Issues: A recent focus has been on alleged war crimes by some Special Forces operatives in Afghanistan.
Support & Reform: The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has highlighted the need for better veteran support, focusing on mental health to prevent suicide and contact with the criminal justice system.
Solutions
The homelessness issue will be resolved by the construction of Council houses, which can be allocated to veterans. A short-term fix could be to repurpose old military barracks and have the homeless veterans use these.
There needs to be a comprehensive rehabilitation programme which all serving military must go through before leaving the service. This will include a comprehensive after service care programme, which will monitor and support all servicemen as they transition to civilian life.
A concept which is under development, involves ex-servicemen becoming involved in historical military museum project, where they put their skills to good use by repairing and renovating old military vehicles and equipment. This will enable ex-servicemen to associate with their own kind, who will understand each other’s problems; and to be paid to create museum pieces.
