Attacks on Department of Veterans’ Affairs unfair

THE ill-considered and inaccurate ongoing criticism of DVA by some in the media says more about them and their crass enthusiasm for a story and less about the care of veterans.

DVA and its staff in recent years have performed remarkably well in coming to grips with the many and varied challenges that our veterans are facing.

Whether it is veteran suicide, which is surely a national problem, veteran homelessness, the transition of individuals from the ADF to civilian life, the availability of psychological support, veteran employment or the myriad of other services it provides, the leadership and staff of DVA are responding positively.

It is all too easy to criticise, to highlight in the public space where issues or decision sometimes do not satisfy expectations, leading to baseless and inaccurate assumptions being made about the DVA in the discharge of its statutory duties.

The availability of a huge range of support services for veterans today is a world away from their utter scarcity in the post-vietnam period when none existed for a long time.

The availability of these services is universal.

As someone who has been involved in veterans’ issues at local, state and national level for over 30 years I can attest that the DVA is in a better space now than at any other time in my experience.

Yes, there are challenges, yes there are times when decisions do not satisfy, and yes sometimes broader expectations are not met.

That is life!

To better serve the interests of the veteran community, including their families, a considered and constructive dialogue is vital not the current over-the-top uninformed negative coverage. KEL RYAN, Canberra.