NT veterans to get new support services centre in Stuart Park

Work is expected to begin next week on a new support services centre for the Territory’s almost 10,000 Defence Force veterans.

WORK is expected to begin in Stuart Park next week on a new support services centre for the Territory’s almost 10,000 Defence Force veterans.

The facility will be operated by service organisation Mates4Mates, which already has a centre in Palmerston.

Formerly home of The Importer furniture store, the building will get a $2.3m facelift and operate alongside GP services and a physiotherapist just metres from the Stuart Hwy premises.

Mates4Mates first came to the Territory last year with a $5m Commonwealth Government grant and their own $500,000 contribution and currently have a centre in Palmerston.

NT regional manager and former services member Marcia Morgan said the Stuart Park premises would be a one-stop-shop for veterans and complement services already operating in Palmerston.

Veterans Peter Quinn, Jethro Jefferson, Gus de Guzman, Rob Richards, Mark Barnes and Chris Mayes Veterans are happy that a Department of Veterans Affairs Hub will be taking shape in a derelict building on the Stuart Highway after renovation. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“Out in Palmerston we have RSL Queensland doing advocacy, which means claims for people that have injured themselves in the Defence Force,” she said.

“We also have a telehealth room out of Palmerston for people that want psychology appointments online and we also have a counsellor and we offer social connection activities.

“Palmerston RSL and legal services work out of there as well.”

Expected to be operating by early next year, Mates4Mates’ Stuart Park centre will offer a wider range of services to veterans including ex-service organisations such as Soldier On and Open Arms.

“There’ll be 10 clinical rooms, we will do exercise physiotherapy so we’ll have a gym here as well and we’ll have a big area set up for social connections and a big outdoor area and BBQ area for social connection.”

Veteran Jethro Jefferson left the Army in 1999 and says he was “going downwards” until his wife convinced him to join Mates4Mates five years ago.

The organisation hadn’t been established in Darwin when he arrived which was a significant hole until opening.

“It took me a long, long time for my wife to get me to Mates and I should have done it years before.,” Mr Jefferson said.

“I missed the mateship and people in general to talk to,”

“It’s so hard to communicate with civilians. They don’t understand the Defence side of things because there’s so much discipline where in civilian life there’s none of that.

“We just talk about old stories and things we used to do and it just brings back memories and feel more at ease. I just love it.”

With the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide holding hearings in Darwin in October, veterans are encouraged to contact Mates4Mates for assistance.

Originally published as NT veterans to get new support services centre in Stuart Park