Call to improve veterans’ services
A push for greatly improved care for defence force veterans living in Gippsland and for a Department of Veterans Affairs office to be established in Warragul has been mounted by Warragul RSL.
The move has been sparked by a lack of face-toface contact between DVA and an estimated 6000 to 7000 returned service people living in the region.
Warragul RSL president Bill Westhead has made a submission to DVA advocating establishment of a dedicated office in the Monash Federal electorate as a pilot to decentralise access to services and boost efficiency and outcomes for veterans.
He said the position of a DVA officer based in Morwell had now been absorbed into the Morwell Centrelink office and no direct contact was available.
The proposal put forward by Mr Westhead is for a three-year trial with three DVA staff located at Warragul because of the town’s central location in the electorate.
He believes it would greatly improve the quality of service received by veterans, many of them suffering significant service-related injuries and illnesses but getting little help.
Many turn to local RSL sub-branches and other voluntary service groups for assistance.
In a submission to, and at a recent meeting, with DVA deputy commissioner for Victoria Jenny Cotton, Mr Westhead stated that Warragul RSL volunteers had devoted 300 days this year to seeking help for local veterans in need.
At the request of medical practitioners they had also helped with the management of two veterans.
Mr Westhead said four local veterans has died since March with poor health management a factor in one of the deaths.
He said the RSL accepts an obligation to help ex-service people and their families but the workload had become onerous, especially without any direct point of contact with DVA.
Mr Westhead said tensions were escalating, and especially in country areas, citing having to speak on the telephone to somebody not familiar with the veteran community and from another state as significant contributors to problems.
He also says there are considerable complications and confusion between the roles of Federal and State bodies in managing veterans’ health.
The concerns and the idea for a dedicated DVA office in Warragul have also been raised by Mr Westhead with Federal Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Chester (Member for Gippsland) and Shadow Victorian Minister for Veterans Tim Bull.
A meeting is also scheduled with State Veterans Minister Shaun Leane.
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