Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel
OVER 50,000 Australian military veterans live in communities affected by this season’s unprecedented bushfires and there is support available to them through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel Darren Chester said today.
“While I’m in Gippsland supporting my electorate through this challenging time, I know many in the veteran community have also been affected by the bushfires,” Mr Chester said.
“In addition, many veterans have assisted in firefighting activities and are now using their unique skills to support bushfire recovery efforts. I thank them for the work they are doing and know it is greatly appreciated by local communities who are doing it tough.”
Mr Chester said veterans can access support by contacting the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, including financial, health and mental health, and home insurance support.
Veteran and defence communities can access a range of services, including the following:
- Veterans and their families requiring emergency counselling support (24/7) should call Open Arms on 1800 011
/Public Release.
