by Mrs Gina Rinehart AO
If you weren’t able to be at Arlington National Cemetery for Veterans Day, across the USA Americans were commemorating November 11th in their own way, or glued to coverage of this very special day’s commemoration. The day we in Australia know as Remembrance Day.
President Trump was at Arlington National Cemetery, his address to a large audience giving us much to think about, explaining just why these brave, patriotic men and women and their values truly were and will always remain “Stars in the Universe.”
He struck a chord with many, that we really should aim higher in our care for veterans and their families, and in our respect for these men and women, including those still suffering due to their service.
He referred to catastrophes that so many had faced, catastrophes that non veterans who did not live through really cannot understand given they have not been in a war zone and faced all that that entails.
Such a helpful reminder for us in Australia, where our own veterans and their families are concerned.
Shouldn’t we also aim higher in our care, our respect and appreciation for veterans and their loved ones.
Perhaps this should start with the organisations entrusted with the care of our veterans and their families.
A reminder that veteran organisations should aim higher than a focus on “not rocking the boat”, not upsetting the government in power and risk their handouts, be that Labor or the Coalition, and not championing veterans’ interests as their most fundamental reason for being.
You may have noticed that very few veteran organisations have publicly supported with either Labor or Coalition governments:
1. Letting homeless veterans, of which Australia sadly has thousands, be accommodated in scarcely or less used barracks or available Defence accommodation, even in the cold of winter. And even though homelessness cannot be viewed as helpful to veterans’ health, safety or mental health.
2. Letting veterans on pensions work as much as they may wish (I stress, if they wish) without jeopardising one dollar of the pensions they have done so much to earn, and simply pay tax on their earnings only. The ability to work more than a few hours a week is so important to veterans, to let them provide for their families, to let them cope with the ever rising cost of living, to let them feel they are still part of a team, still useful and contributing.
It should be stating the obvious that counselling, too often by those who’ve never even seen war themselves, is a box ticking exercise, which can’t offer homes for the homeless, or enable the ability to work as much as they may like, so can’t offer help for the main causes of difficulties for veterans. Hence, sadly, many veterans can see no light at the end of the tunnel (No matter how many times they are requested to attend counselling sessions). Following the same path which doesn’t encourage wellness but sadly depression or worse, don’t our veterans deserve a better path? I sure think so, we don’t want long term patients, we want or should want our veterans enjoying their lives.
You may wonder, why aren’t the veteran organisations more active in helping veterans with both of these critical needs? Great question. Some fall back on the excuse that they are apolitical… Well, as these critical areas need fixing whether a Coalition or Labor greenes government in power, you can judge such an excuse for yourself.
3. Maybe you’ve heard the unacceptable truth that many veterans have to wait more than 6 months for their pensions, even when this means they must sleep on the streets, and some have to wait years and even engage lawyers before they can receive the pensions they should receive without difficulty. Dedicated veterans organisations should have had this fixed, so that no veteran should have to wait more than a week after leaving service before receiving their pension. Doable, if the pension arrangement is decided prior to the veteran leaving the service, as should occur.
So how can we choose the most helpful to veterans organisations to support?
A. A good start is to ask for the percent of veterans who work for that particular organisation.
Priority can then be considered for those who employ veterans as the majority of their workers.
B. Another tip, check how much goes on admin, staff expenses, and perks, and counselling services by non veterans. Fancy buildings and fancy admin offices are not necessary for veterans (unless perhaps they are employed there).
C. And another tip, what is their public record on 1, 2, 3 above. And what assurance can they give that they will fight much harder for 1, 2 and 3.
Veteran organisations have a critical role to play in helping the lives of veterans and their families. The best of these need our generous support. However, many veterans feel disheartened, even angry, when dealing with today’s veterans organisations.
The path forward needs to be, Let’s do more to support the “Stars in the Universe”, and also to encourage veteran organisations towards growing or regrowing a veterans first focus.
Thank you to our veterans, and the families and loved ones who support them. Thanks is never enough where the “Stars in the Universe” and their supportive families are concerned.
