DVA invites ADF members to join online consultations for more support
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The Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) is encouraging current and former members of the Australian Defence Force, their families and ex-service organisations to join the Joint Transition Authority’s (JTA) online consultation sessions in April and May.
Minister for Defence Personnel and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said it was essential for the DVA to receive input from the veteran community on how they can further improve the support veterans receive throughout their transition.
“The Government is committed to ensuring ADF members and their families are better prepared and supported through all stages of transition from Defence to civilian life, and this can only be achieved by listening to those with lived experiences of the process,” Minister Chester said.
The JTA was established in October last year. It is currently ongoing with the Department of Defence, DVA and the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC).
While the JTA guided the agencies on improving veterans’ transition services, the DVA will utilize online consultations in order to receive feedback from those the program directly affects.
“I encourage all those who have transitioned or supported a loved one through the process, as well as the broader defence and veteran community, to engage with the JTA and put forward ideas on how we can improve transition, but also on what is working well at the moment,” Minister Chester said.
“Only by working together — Government, Defence, DVA and the broader ex-service community — can we create a system that ensures our ADF personnel and their families have the best possible transition.”
The JTA was recommended by the Productivity Commission to improve transition service delivery by identifying opportunities, addressing gaps, integrating existing services and influencing new ones as they are developed. It was established within Defence in partnership with the DVA, the CSC and the broader ex-service community.
The JTA will continue to work closely with key stakeholders including federal, state and territory government bodies, ex-service organisations and other groups to connect and improve a range of services, from health care to employment support, on behalf of transitioning members of the ADF.
Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.
