A message from our Senior Project Officer
Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list. Your support is invaluable as we work to get the word out about the Defence and Veterans Legal Service (DAVLS).
Sharing information with a Royal Commission can be a daunting prospect, especially when that information is lived experience of suicide.
DAVLS has been set up to support defence members and veterans, as well as their families, carers and supporters, to safely navigate this process and any legal issues, and to get follow up support if they need it.
An initiative of National Legal Aid, DAVLS is being delivered by Legal Aid Commissions in each state and territory.
Our service is trauma-informed, culturally safe and accessible. Most importantly, it is independent and separate from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, the Department of Defence, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
I recently spoke to the ABC about the support DAVLS can provide to anybody considering sharing their experiences.
As you may already be aware, the Royal Commission opened last month and has been holding public hearings in Brisbane. The first block of public hearings will finish today, with more to follow next year.
DAVLS’ team in Brisbane (pictured above) attended the ceremonial hearing and has been manning an information booth at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the hearings are being held.
We encourage anybody considering sharing their experiences with the Royal Commission to visit our information booth, or to call our free Infoline on 1800 33 1800.
We can help you understand your legal rights and options for sharing your experiences with the Royal Commission. We can also support you to make a submission or participate in a private session, and connect you with other services, including counselling.
Our legal support is free, confidential and available to anyone who needs it – there is no income or assets test, or other eligibility criteria for assistance.
If you would like to let your networks know about DAVLS, you can forward this email or share a post on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
Thank you for helping us spread the word about our free, independent legal support.
With gratitude,
Jasmine Stanton
DAVLS Senior Project Officer
DAVLS launches range of free resources
DAVLS has a range of resources that answer frequently asked questions about our service and the Royal Commission.
These resources aim to support people engaging with the Royal Commission and are free to download and share.
A submission is one way to share your experiences.
Our submission guide (pictured right) offers information about the submission process and tips and ideas for preparing a submission.
Visit our website to view our free resources.
If you would like to order printed resources, please send us an email.
Webinar: Introduction to the Defence and Veterans Legal Service
We recently hosted an information session about DAVLS for ex-service organisations and other partners.
The webinar covered how we’re funded and managed, what our service is, how we can work together with our partners, and our referrals process.
If you missed it, you can watch the webinar on YouTube.
We have staff in each state and territory who are ready to assist defence members, veterans and their supporters.
If you would like to collaborate with us or invite a DAVLS staff member to speak at your event, please email Community Engagement Officer Nicholas Warren.
Crisis support
For immediate help in a crisis, please contact one of the following services: