Do our veterans receive the support they deserve?
ANZAC Day 2022
As numerous towns and cities across the country honour and remember those who perished at the Gallipoli disaster from February 17 1915 to 9 January 1916, the question remains whether our veterans receive the support they deserve.
In 2021, it was reported that more than 1,200 Australian Defence Force veterans and serving personnel had died by suicide in the past two decades — almost three times higher than the number previously reported.
The latest data gives a clearer picture of the scale of the crisis in Australia, five months after the Prime Minister announced a wide-ranging royal commission into defence and veteran suicides to examine "the human cost" of defence service.
The latest figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reveal 1,062 ex-servicemen and women, and a further 211 serving personnel, took their own lives between 2001 and 2019.
And fresh research, released by RSL LifeCare and YouGov, has revealed that almost half of Australians surveyed (49%) disagree that veterans today are adequately supported with essential services, such as mental and physical health care and financial assistance.
Key findings include (1,052 Australians 18+ surveyed):
- Australians who live in regional and rural areas are more likely than those who live in major cities to commemorate Anzac Day this year (75% compared to 68%) and specifically are more likely to commemorate by attending an Anzac Day March or community event (29% compared to 19%);
- 70% of people plan to commemorate Anzac Day this year;
- 43% plan to pay respects at home;
- 22% plan to attend a march or community event;
- More than 1.2 million (6%) Australians plan to commemorate Anzac Day by playing two-up;
- 17% of men plan to mark the occasion by going to the pub with family and friends;
- 10% of women plan to mark the occasion by going to the pub with family and friends; and
- 92% of both veterans and Australians with a friend who is a veteran, and 87% of Australians with a family member who is a veteran, plan to commemorate Anzac Day this year.
The research comes ahead of RSL LifeCare and its thousands of residents and staff joining millions of Australians in marking Anzac Day.
Further information on RSL LifeCare and its veteran services offerings can be found at www.rsllifecare.org.au
RSL LifeCare’s Veteran Services include:
- Veteran wellbeing centres
- Wellbeing support
- DVA claims and advocacy
- Employment assistance
- Homelessness and housing support
- Spur equine program
RSL LifeCare work collaboratively with RSL NSW as their partner charity to support veterans and their families. RSL NSW support the RSL LifeCare Veteran Wellbeing Centre strategy, and it’s subbranches help fund services that RSL LifeCare deliver.