Mental health care in regional South Australia is failing traumatised Australian Defence Force veterans, experts reveal

A Mount Gambier defence force veteran reveals the horrors he witnessed on deployment as experts push for better rural mental health services for ex-soldiers.

It’s been 23 years since Scott O’Day served for Australia in war-torn East Timor but the horrors of his Australian Defence Force deployment are as vivid today as they were in 1999.

The 44-year-old has revealed the traumatising impact of spending days removing bodies from a well while deployed in East Timor.

Some 1400 people are believed to have been killed during the East Timor battle for independence from Indonesia some two decades ago – and Aussies like Scott were at the forefront of helping that country during one of its toughest times.

Scott, who joined the military when he was 20, said one of the hardest jobs he faced there was pulling bodies out of wells.

“Three days of that — the experience stays with you,” he said.

Scott O'Day lives with PTSD following his 20-year career with the military. Picture: Arj Ganesan

On his return to Australia, Scott spent four weeks at the Jamie Larcombe Centre, a dedicated veterans’ facility in Adelaide.

He described it as “the best thing” he ever did the former soldier said the nightmares and terrors still haunt him but getting support in regional South Australia was far from easy for veterans like him.

He ended his full-time ADF service in 2004 and was a reservist until 2021.

Scott has thrown his support behind Mount Gambier military advocates Laurie Mann and Liz Wheeler who are lobbying the state and federal governments for a $3m grant to convert the old Mount Gambier Olympic swimming pool into a veteran wellbeing centre.

Mount Gambier veteran advocates Laurie Mann and Liz Wheeler hope open a wellbeing centre for military veterans with PTSD. Picture: Arj Ganesan

The region’s RSL does offer support but there are concerns about traumatised veterans having to attend services at clubs – such as the Mount Gambier RSL – where alcohol is consumed and poker machines operate.

Scott said the noise associated with the RSL was triggering for him.

Ms Wheeler and Mr Mann said veterans often struggled to reach out to the RSL as they did not want people to see them do a “walk of shame” while Scott said he knew of seven other vets who refused to seek support via the RSL for this reason.

Mr Mann said a lack of mental health emergency services in Mount Gambier meant there were very few other options for veterans experiencing trauma.

With over 1200 officially recorded suicides since 2001, more Australian veterans have taken their own lives than killed on active duty since ADF personnel were first deployed to Afghanistan.

According to the Mental Health Prevalence Report published by the Department of Veteran Affairs in 2018, 25 per cent of veterans have PTSD.

Official figures show there are 2500 veterans living in the electorate of Barker, which encompasses the Limestone Coast, but Mr Mann believes there could be another 2000 former ADF personnel in the region.

Three wellbeing centres in Perth, Adelaide and Townsville have been established, while centres in Nowra, Wodonga and Darwin are in various stages of development.

As part of the 2021/22 Federal Budget two other centres have been committed to Tasmania and South East Queensland.

Scott said it was important the government listened to the veterans on what they needed, rather than “reinvent the wheel”.

Mr Mann and Ms Wheeler said the $3m Mount Gambier wellbeing project would offer Open Arms counselling, telehealth services and offer classes to help veterans transition into civilian life.

Member for Barker Tony Pasin Tony Pasin was recently re-elected to the seat of Barker for a fourth term. Picture: Supplied

Recently re-elected Liberal member for Barker Tony Pasin strongly supported the push.

“A veteran’s wellbeing ventre in Mount Gambier would build community connections and give those in need essential support and easy access to the services available,” he said.

The Royal Commission into veteran suicide was established in July last year to explore systemic issues has received 1543 submissions so far.

An interim report will be released in August with a final report expected in June, 2024.

A Department of Veteran Affairs spokesperson said the DVA was “committed to ensuring that all serving and ex-serving ADF members have access to the right support at the right time.”

Newly appointed Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh was unavailable for comment.

The Mount Gambier RSL was also contacted for comment but did not respond before publication.