DEAR News Of The Area,

STATEMENTS made by both Caz Heise and Pat Conaghan regarding veterans and their families published on 13 December 2024 does very little for the issue which they claim to champion.

One thing that can be noted in Heise’s media release and Conaghan’s response, is that they both agree platitudes are not acceptable.

However, commentary without commitment is only useful for short-term political gain, and I invite all Cowper candidates campaigning in the 2025 federal election to detail their intentions on how they would support the delivery of much needed veteran services within the local electorate and across the nation.

Unfortunately neither Caz Heise nor Pat Conaghan attended the veterans forum held at Coffs Harbour during October that was organised by veterans and supported by the Matthew Locke MG Charity, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and C.ex Club.

The only political representative for the area was Member for Oxley Michael Kemp, himself a veteran of operations in both Timor and Iraq.

The event was a great success and provided a real and unique chance for veterans and their families as well as the public to come together and discuss relevant issues relating to the veteran community.

For any political response to be successful regarding support to veterans, those advocating in government must engage broadly and consistently with the veteran community to understand their circumstances and needs.

‘Transitional’ services must be effective in providing and ensuring that the transition into civilian life is not a ‘revolving-door-therapy’ in which veterans fail to remove barriers of military indoctrination and therefore are unable to effectively separate military culture from civilian life.

Military culture is inherently regimented, and therefore the longer and more intense somebody is subjected to a strict and controlled environment the more difficult the challenge of detachment can be.

Personalities and service experience are also a fundamental aspect of a veterans’ transition from Defence and need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

A unique factor exists amongst veterans that acknowledges each other’s service to Australia and shares the pride to wear the flag on your shoulder.

It is important leading into the federal election that candidates show respect and integrity when commenting on their alignment with the veteran community and I look forward to veterans and veterans’ families being a priority concern in the coming campaign.

I wish a Merry Christmas to all our service men and women (and their families) wherever they may be in the world.

Kind regards,
Adam FULLER,
Mid North Coast.