Vince Connelly (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When the men and women of our Australian Defence Force transition into civilian life, there are two key determinants of success. One is supportive family and friends and the other is a job. Employing a veteran is not an act of charity, though; it's actually simply good for business. Increasingly, employers are realising that employing a veteran lets them tap into the skills that are always in high demand, like discipline, teamwork and leadership.

Last week I visited a local business in my electorate of Stirling, Safety Direct Solutions. A former Army mate of mine, Owen, works there and is helping to contribute to their future vision in a big way. SDS work in the fields of security, emergency management, medical and training services, and all of those skills were on display when they helped me to abseil off a three-storey platform in their headquarters at Balcatta. I was a little nervous at how eager everyone seemed to be to throw me over the edge, but I was very grateful that they put a safety harness on me first! This also helped to demonstrate some of the crossover skills in leadership, teamwork, planning and, of course, some practical management skills. SDS recognise that their business is benefiting from hiring veterans. I encourage other businesses to get out there and tap into the skills, the attitudes and the knowledge of those committed Australian men and women as they separate from our Defence Force.