As 2023 draws to a close, I am deeply grateful to the many individuals like you - and organisations across Australia - who have supported our efforts to assist those who have served.
Sadly, the latest data shows little change in those rates. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has recently released its sixth annual report on suicide among veterans and ADF members. It shows:
As Christmas approaches, our thoughts turn to families that have lost loved ones through suicide. We also keep in mind those veterans and ADF members who deal with mental health challenges that can be particularly difficult during the festive season. In this newsletter, we will highlight supports that are available during that period.
Thank you again for supporting the Defence and Veterans Legal Service this year. It is so heartening to be part of a broader community that is passionate about supporting serving and ex-serving Australians.
We provide free legal advice, preliminary assistance and guided referrals regarding various legal issues commonly experienced by those who have served in the ADF.
What brought you to this role with DAVLS?
I have had a lifelong interest in the military and military history. I served in the Australian Army Reserve including continuous full-time service for 18 months. I was in the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, also known as the Artillery Corps.
I come from a family of first responders working in the NSW Police Force and Corrective Services NSW.
When I heard there was a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, I was keen to help people tell their stories to that inquiry. I wanted to advocate for those who don’t have a voice. Defence members and veterans don’t have a union representative to talk to and they don’t have many of the Fair Work Act protections that civilian employees do.
What do you like about serving and ex-serving ADF people?
ADF people have made the sacrifice to step up to selflessly serve.
I admire their dedication and work ethic. This often comes at a great cost to their personal lives and their physical and mental health.
They go about their day without complaining and with a sense of humour. They appreciate what teamwork is all about, they support their mates, and they are humble about the contribution they make.
What do you most enjoy about your role?
I feel that we’re making a difference. Everyone wants to feel that they have a voice and are heard. It’s gratifying to hear the feedback from our clients that someone is finally listening to them.
For instance, supporting veterans and family members at Royal Commission private session meetings can be a particularly emotional and cathartic experience for them. I feel privileged to be a part of their lives and to support them on their journey with the Royal Commission.
I see how empowered veterans feel when the Royal Commissioners acknowledge their lived experience and speak with them about what needs to change.
It also helps that the DAVLS team are a great bunch, down to earth, easy to work with and very supportive.
What did you do before working as a lawyer with DAVLS?
I was a country solicitor working in criminal law with the Orange office of Legal Aid NSW. I was doing Local Court and Childrens Court matters, as well as District Court sentencing matters, at courthouses across the NSW Central West.
As part of this work, I was assisting clients from disadvantaged and traumatic backgrounds. Many had mental health challenges and didn’t have the opportunities and lives that many of us take for granted.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
A year ago my wife and I – with our Kelpie called Georgie - moved from Orange to the Upper Blue Mountains.
We live near a National Park and enjoy bushwalking and seeing the local native wildlife.
We enjoy travelling, especially road trips around Australia and SCUBA diving in relatively remote places like New Guinea, Papua and Borneo.
We are being evaluated!
We are being independently evaluated, and the evaluation team is doing a survey to gather feedback from our clients and stakeholders.
The survey takes about 10 minutes and will guide decisions about the support we provide.
It’s not compulsory to take part, and the answers provided will be de-identified.
Please click here to do this short survey.
Serving those who have served Australia
We provide free legal support to serving and ex-serving Australians.
That support can include information, general legal advice, preliminary assistance and guided referrals regarding issues such as:
- veteran entitlements and compensation
- family law problems (including parenting arrangements and the division of assets)
- family violence and domestic violence orders
- redress for abuse in the Defence Force
- employment law (including discrimination, harassment and the transition to civilian roles)
- mental health rights
- consumer law (including issues relating to insurance, consumer credit and debt)
- wills and estates.
Outside the wire - outreach across the nation
Across Australia, we continue to support our clients and to spread the word about free legal support for those who have served.
The round-up below provides some highlights about our activities in various locations.
Pipers mark first anniversary
We were pleased to join these pipers at a celebration marking the first anniversary of the Nowra Veteran Wellbeing Centre on the NSW South Coast.
This service supports veterans and their families.
In Newcastle, we recently attended the DVA Community Engagement Workshop (hosted by RSL Lifecare) and a Soldier On coffee catch-up.
We also chatted with large numbers of Defence families at the ADF Transition Seminar at Darling Harbour in Sydney.
Assisting veterans in prison
We provide legal support to veterans across Australia including those in jail.
Our Melbourne lawyers have started handling inquiries from incarcerated veterans following the establishment of a dedicated telephone service that allows Victorian inmates to be assisted by our lawyers.
Meanwhile, we recently farewelled Steven Baras-Miller, a lawyer in our Melbourne team who has played a significant role in our regional outreach services in Victoria. We wish Steven well in his new role at the Australian War Memorial.
Brisbane Homeless Connect
Staff from our Info Line recently attended the Brisbane Homeless Connect event that highlighted free services for people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of it.
This includes services focusing on medical care, housing, legal support, food and clothing, and employment assistance.
About 50 people visited our information stall to pick up some of our free resources and chat with our staff members including Aggie (pictured).
Canberra Veterans and Family Expo
We attended the Veterans and Family Expo in Canberra and that was a great opportunity for our new lawyer Will to meet people from the local Defence and Veteran communities.
This inaugural event was hosted by RSL ACT in partnership with the ACT Government.
Festive season operations and support
Our Info Line (1800 33 1800) will be closed during the festive season break. It will close at 2 pm AEDT on Friday 22 December 2023 and will resume on Tuesday 2 January 2024.
If you leave a voice-mail message during that closure period or send us an email, we will contact you when our office re-opens.
We hope you have a safe and happy festive season, but we know it can be a difficult time for many families.
Emergency contacts
If you or someone you know is at risk of harm, please call triple zero to seek police or ambulance assistance.
If you are distressed, in crisis or in immediate need of support, assistance is available from these organisations:
New Assistant Commissioners to help with private sessions
The Royal Commission has appointed two Assistant Commissioners to assist with private sessions.
In January, Assistant Commissioners Dr Susan Young and Bob Atkinson will start work alongside the three existing Commissioners to complete about 320 private sessions.
Private sessions allow a person to have a confidential, face-to-face discussion and to share their stories in a supportive environment that recognises the traumatic impact of the issues being discussed.
We provide free legal support and advice to people with their private session meetings. For more information, call us on 1800 33 1800.
Please note, however, that the deadline for booking a private session has now passed.
Future hearings and dates for your diary
The Royal Commission has held public hearings in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Townsville, Hobart, Darwin, Wagga Wagga, Adelaide and Melbourne.
Key dates to be aware of
- The Royal Commission will hold its 12th and final public hearing block in Sydney over four weeks in March. It will hear evidence from senior leaders from across government and the military.
- Also in the first half of 2024, the Royal Commission expects to deliver a report to government on a proposed new entity (to follow the Royal Commission) which will monitor the implementation of recommendations and contribute to the lifetime wellbeing of veterans.
- The final report of the Royal Commission is due to be handed to the Governor-General by Monday 9 September 2024.
Resources
Many of our resources are available for download from our website. We are also happy to send out printed copies to our stakeholders.
Where possible, we can also send them our promotional materials that help to spread the word about our free services.
To order our free resources (including posters, brochures, wallet cards and factsheets etc) please contact us at DAVLS@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.
DAVLS in your community
Our lawyers work with local ex-service and veteran support organisations across the country, delivering community presentations and attending community events.
Book a presentation
If you would like DAVLS to deliver a presentation or attend an event in your community, either in person or virtually, contact us at DAVLS@legalaid.nsw.gov.au
At your event, we can answer your questions in a friendly and relaxed environment.
Depending on your event, we can
Royal Commission hearings
You can also find us at Royal Commission hearings.
We attend all the hearings and we have an information stall at the hearing venues. These stalls help us to connect with members of the Defence and veteran community.
Webinar
This webinar includes information from our staff about the support we provide and some of the options that are available to our clients.
Helping groups that can face additional barriers
We work closely with support organisations across Australia to spread the word about the specialist services we provide. Through this work, we have identified some groups (see below) that may face additional barriers when it comes to engaging with this Royal Commission.
Serving members
We travel widely to inform Defence Force members and their families about the support we provide to those who are currently serving.
Defence families
We attend many events and locations involving Defence families. This includes family fun days and sessions at wellbeing centres that support ADF families. At these locations and others, we highlight the important role that family members can play in shaping the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
Sex and gender diverse communities
We have engaged the help of various organisations that represent LGBTQIA+ personnel and veterans, and we provide support to help them with legal issues.
First Nations people
Through close consultation with First Nations communities, we have developed a range of resources including posters and brochures for First Nations people. We also liaise with key stakeholders and attend events focussing on Indigenous veterans and ADF members.
Veterans in prisons
We strive to ensure people in prison can access our services wherever they are in Australia. We have created resources for use in prisons. We also provide outreach services in some correctional facilities and deliver our support to inmates via phone or video.
Stories From the Frontline
Our podcast series, Stories from the Frontline, showcases first-person stories from veterans that have a connection to our service.
The episodes are powerful and short - usually about five minutes long.
Listen to them here.
Crisis support
For immediate help in a crisis, please contact one of the following services:
Suicide Call Back Service (a 24-hour counselling service for suicide prevention and mental health) 1300 659 467
Lifeline Australia (a 24-hour crisis support line) 13 11 14
Beyond Blue (free, immediate short-term counselling) 1300 224 636
Open Arms (a free and confidential 24/7 national counselling service for Australian veterans and their families) 1800 011 046
Defence All-hours Support Line 1800 628 036
Triple Zero 000