We’re getting somewhere, but we have a lot of work to do. Firstly, some good news: James Brown, the head of the RSL in NSW, has joined our call for a Royal Commission into Veterans suicide rates.
But then, today the Daily Telegraph has printed this statement from the Veterans Affairs Minister, Darren Chester. This sadly is not great news:
Veterans’ Affairs Minister Darren Chester said he could not “see the point” of a royal commission, despite conceding his department had no idea of how many veterans killed themselves or even who they are because of poor historical record keeping by Defence and his department.
This is upsetting. Firstly, it is my hope that the Minister changes his mind and quickly understands that a Royal Commission into Veterans suicide rates is urgently required.
Secondly, it is unacceptable that Defence and the DVA “actually don’t know” how many veterans are taking their lives every year. Perhaps if the Minister was given accurate information, he’d be quicker to act on this crisis?
CLICK HERE TO TWEET TO THE PM AND VETERANS AFFAIRS MINISTER
Meanwhile, both Mr Morrison and Mr Chester say they think the $100 million it would cost for a Royal Commission would be better spent on health services for Veterans. To that I say: this isn’t just about money. We’ve been throwing money at this problem for decades, and it hasn’t stopped the tide of grief and trauma. Yes, the money matters but an extra $100 million dollars won’t fix the cracks of a broken system.
In today’s Daily Telegraph, an amazing woman named Karen Scott shared her story. Her beautiful son, Scott Williams, took his own life after serving in East Timor, Solomon Islands and the Gulf.
Karen told the Daily Telegraph that she felt Darren Chester comment that he’d prefer to spend $100 million on services not a Royal Commission was another way of the Government trying to “sweep it under the rug”:
A royal commission needs to be set up to stop other families being left on their own to deal with everything when their children come home from service.
They can’t send our boys away only to bring them back broken and not fix them.
My hope is that Darren Chester is the Minister to end this crisis. He’s new to the Veterans Affairs portfolio, and he could be the one to finally mend the broken system that is claiming the lives of so many servicemen and women. Can you help me reach him?
Hundreds of us have already sent a message to the PM and the Veterans Affairs Minister. Can you do the same? Right now, can you send this tweet and hammer home the message to Canberra: we end a bold leader to end this crisis. We need big changes. We need a Royal Commission.
CLICK HERE TO TWEET TO THE PM AND VETERANS AFFAIRS MINISTER
Thank you.
Julie-Ann Finney, proud mother of Dave Stafford Finney.
If you or someone you know needs help, please phone Lifeline on 131 114, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.