Keeping You in the Loop

Transparency is everything to me. You signed this petition, you shared it, you trusted me with your stories - and you deserve to know exactly what's happening, every step of the way.

Last week, I travelled to Canberra to bring your voices directly to the people shaping veteran healthcare policy. I want to be clear about what that looked like and what came from it.

First and foremost - the reception was genuinely encouraging. Every conversation, whether in formal meetings or in the corridors outside Parliament, was respectful and constructive. People were willing to listen. Not in a dismissive, "we'll take that on notice" way - but in a way that felt like the reality veterans are living was actually landing.

That matters. Because your signatures, your stories, and your willingness to speak up are what made those conversations possible.

Nothing about this campaign happens behind closed doors. Every development, every meeting, every response we receive - you'll hear about it here, as it happens.

That matters.

Because this petition is not just numbers. It represents real people, real families, and real consequences of the decisions being made.

During the trip, I had the opportunity to meet with, or connect to, representatives across government and offices including:

• Jamie Snashall – Senior Adviser, Office of the Minister for Health
•  Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
• Senator Paul Scarr
• The Hon. Michael McCormack MP – Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
• Angie Bell MP
• Senator Malcolm Roberts
• Mark Baker – Office of Senator Jacqui Lambie
• Phillip Thompson OAM, MP
• The Office of Senator David Pocock

Some of these meetings took place inside Parliament, others happened more informally, but every conversation contributed to one thing: ensuring your voice is being heard at the highest level.

Alongside these discussions, I presented our report, The State of Veterans’ Affairs in Australia, which highlights the growing gap between what veterans are promised and what they are experiencing in reality.

The data is clear.
Veterans are asking for more choice, better access, and to be included in decisions that directly impact their healthcare.

This is exactly why this petition continues to matter.

We are now over 11,000 strong, and that number carries weight. It gives credibility to every conversation we are having and ensures this issue cannot be ignored.

Thank you for backing this, sharing your stories, and standing with us.

We’ll keep pushing this forward.

Tom