OPINION - Helen Haines, Independent federal MP for Indi

THE decision to serve your country is a momentous one. Whether in peacetime or in war, our servicemen and servicewomen put the safety, security and prosperity of our

nation before their own.

Whether you serve on the frontlines or not, defence service is dangerous.

The wounds go far beyond the physical, and we now know the significant mental toll our veterans and their families face.

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide is a watershed moment in our nation’s history.

The stories were harrowing, and the release of the final report is a sombre moment for all Australians.

This must be the moment where we say is enough is enough, and commit – as a country – as a Parliament – to do better by our veterans and their families, and the wider

community.

Recent legislation responding to the first recommendation of the Royal Commission was introduced by the government to fix the veterans entitlement system.

The Royal Commission found this byzantine system is so complex, so convoluted, so prone to delays, that it contributes to the distress and suicidality of veterans.

This sentiment is reflected in the many interactions I have with veterans across Indi.

The stories I hear from veterans in Indi are distressing - veterans who feel abandoned within the complex and confusing entitlement system.

Veterans who lose access to services because the Department of Veterans Affairs fails to pay invoices on time.

In turn, the service providers are put under pressure because of delayed DVA payments.

I support simplifying the system to make it easier and quicker for veterans to receive support and care, and to end the secondary trauma for veterans who are forced to

prove, often on multiple occasions, that their condition is service related.

This government, and all future governments, must respond to the Royal Commission with more action and more funding to help veterans.

Doing better by veterans cannot happen in two years' time, and not after the next election, but now.

Indi has many defence connections, most notably Gaza Ridge Barracks and Wadsworth Barracks in Bandiana and Latchford Barracks in Bonegilla on the outskirts of Wodonga.

We also have defence manufacturing which employs many people in Indi.

In the 2021 Census, more than 5000 people in Indi said they had previously served or were currently serving in our defence forces.

Knowing these deep links to the defence force, when I became the Independent Member for Indi I made a concerted effort to grow my knowledge of what it means to be

a serving member of the defence force, and the issues facing veterans.

This includes taking part in the Defence Force’s Parliamentary Program, joining Operation Resolute with Australian Border Force last year.

Throughout my time as the Independent Member for Indi, I have worked closely with our veteran organisations, including the RSLs, through the Tim Fischer AC Veterans and Families Hub in Wodonga, the Goorambat Veterans Retreat, just to name a few.

The partners and families, including children, of those who serve face significant challenges of their own – not just in supporting their partners.

Our RSLs play a vital role in hosting ceremonies on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, managing dozens of volunteers, maintaining local cenotaphs and honouring the service of servicemen and women.

This work is highly valued by our veterans and the wider community.

Truly understanding the experiences of servicemen and women is the work of many

conversations, of listening deeply.

And even then, I’m not sure if we do truly understand if we haven’t experienced it ourselves.

Remembrance Day pays respect and gratitude to all who have served.

On the days that follow, we must pursue our duty to provide veterans with the care and support they deserve.