Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Friday, I had the privilege of opening the Veterans Centre Sydney Northern Beaches at Dee Why RSL Club. The event was well attended, with triservice representatives, veterans and many community leaders. The Veterans Centre is the result of the vision and years of hard work by chairman, Commodore Graham Sloper AM RAN, Retired, and his team, together with centre manager veteran, Ben Webb. Its first home in 2012 was RSL Lifecare, but a generous partnership with Dee Why RSL Club has meant a modern suite of rooms has been provided in the club to enable an independent, holistic, regional service to veterans using the hub-and-spoke model.

In the period since the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, the need for greater support for veterans and their families is more acute than ever. The tragic loss of so many to suicide—253 since 1986; 25 this year—highlights the need for such a centre. Often when medically discharged, many veterans feel a great sense of loss being separated from the ADF, which had provided for them in so many ways. Ben Webb's own story—struggling first with physical injury, then with depression and PTSD, which he has overcome to be centre manager—is a great example and inspiration for others facing similar problems on their journey to recovery.

The centre offers both casework and advocacy services, as well as social and recreational activities, including: veterans and partner meetings, lawn bowls, yoga, bush walking, BBQs and other social activities. It is the hope that this model will be followed in rural and regional areas to give veterans the help they need. (Time expired)