How we treat our veterans is a national disgrace

For years the rate of suicide among armed forces personnel who have moved on to civilian life has risen at a truly frightening rate. We have all sat idly by while those who have placed their lives at risk on our behalf have fallen by the wayside.

Dan Tehan, the Minister for Veterans Affairs, seems like a decent, earnest fellow but he will need more than that to change the behaviour of his department. His goodwill and good intentions will amount to nothing unless he can cut through the hostile stance his department regularly takes when dealing with veterans.

Sadly, the horror stories just keep on coming. On the weekend there were newspaper reports of a bloke named “Jesse” who had recently taken his own life. What troubles me is that his story and that of his mother is typical of what I have been hearing for years. This young man was obviously suffering really severe mental problems. He was down to a lousy $5 in the bank but no matter how many times he pleaded with the department for assistance, he ran up against the same brick wall that was erected to keep away the enemy, i.e. the very clientele the department was supposed to be helping. These cases have been documented again and again but nothing seems to have changed. The culture is too well developed, practised and fortified.

The culture means that too many frontline officers see it as their duty to delay, frustrate and deny benefits to veterans. The number of hoops they are forced to jump would be enough to weary an Olympian.

I have just witnessed the minister being interviewed by David Speers. He announced a further $31 million to help reduce suicides among veterans. He spruiked the benefits of $166 million he had given his department to ensure better service for claimants.

There is no evidence that veterans are being treated any better or any faster. In fact, he added a public apology to Jesse’s family to his parliamentary explanation of his department’s shortcomings as codified by a parliamentary committee.

All this money will achieve absolutely nothing unless the hearts and minds of Veterans Affairs’ staff undergo a radical transformation. You don’t hear the minister acknowledging this problem.

In July last year a pilot program on suicide prevention was promised for Townsville. I informed the minister the trial had not begun on time and I was assured my information was incorrect. When I checked I discovered the minister had been misled again by his department. The steering committee of the pilot program had met a couple of times but the number of veterans helped remained at zero.

I sent some cases to Stuart Robert who preceded Tehan in the job. The veterans whose cases I put forward received a little help and hope initially but some months later the department was up to its old tricks. It made sure those who dared to raise issues with me suffered. There is no doctrine of whistleblower protection in this department and that is for sure and certain.

I will be interviewing the minister tonight on Richo on SkyNews and I hope he has good news — not for me but for the thousands of veterans Australia has turned its back on too often.