Homelessness, legal, employment support part of ALP promise
The Oasis Townsville has been singled out as the only veterans project in Queensland to receive dedicated funding in a $10 million Labor election promise.
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The Oasis Townsville has been singled out as the only veterans project in Queensland to receive dedicated funding in a $10 million Labor election promise.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk swept into Australia’s largest garrison city unannounced on Sunday to present the $10 million package to go towards Queensland’s veterans and services organisations.
Ms Palaszczuk said it was aimed at providing more employment assistance, infrastructure funding, legal help, homelessness support and other services.
“They gave Australia their best, and they deserve our best support, whether it is health, employment or a safe place to live,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Funding capital works, memorials and commemorative events provides more Queenslanders the opportunity to remember and participate with our veteran community.”
The Oasis Townsville, a veterans support hub was the only organisation in Queensland singled out with $1 million in dedicated funding.
The Oonoonba facility sits on State Government land and was made possible through multi-level government support with $5 million from the Federal Government on top of the State Government’s $4.3 million through the Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors.
Director Lieutenant General John Caligari (Retd) said the funding would go towards operations costs and allow the not for profit organisation to employ a small team of staff to run the multimillion-dollar facility which is expected to open in early 2021.
“We’ll be moving into a $10 million facility that’s been purpose built for us and there’s going to be ongoing going to be costs,” he said.
“The Queensland Government is letting us rent it for $1 a year at peppercorn rent (but) Oasis has been living on donations and grants and sponsorships.
“This funding would really allow us to focus on our work but also do things like install solar panels, send people on Farmer Assist and other programs without having to think twice.”
Mr Caligari said was impressed by the inclusion of homelessness services in the funding announcement as it was another focus of the organisation.
“We’ve signed a memorandum of understanding with RSL Queensland about homelessness and it gives us surety of being able to look after that veteran well,” he said.
“We don’t have a lot of resources to be able to do what you need to do to help someone you but RSL Queensland has already got a brilliant program so it makes sense to link into them (because) we’re a connector of services and like a home base for defence and their families.”
Women Veterans Network Australia is the only organisation in Australia that is solely focused on the wellbeing of female veterans.
National National Coordinator Kylie Michelle said the funding would go a long way in helping veterans reintegrate into society and have a meaningful life out of uniform.
“This (funding) will help veterans belong to their community and this is what I lost when discharging,” Ms Michelle said.
“Women have unique transitional challenges because of their role in the military and society they experience deployment and reintegration differently to men.
“WVNA will benefit most from the ripple effect of this support because when one organisation (OasisTownsville) benefits then we all do.”
Originally published as Homelessness, legal, employment support part of ALP promise