Parties Respond to RSL Australia Election Asks

MEDIA RELEASE

The Labor, the Liberal / National Coalition and the Greens parties have responded to a series of key questions posed by the Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) to support the veterans and Defence community.

Early in the election campaign, RSL Australia called on all candidates and parties to demonstrate a shared commitment to the health and wellbeing of our veterans and service personnel by committing support for five key priorities.

These covered their proposed plans to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide; enhanced advocacy for veterans and their families; the elimination of barriers to essential healthcare for the veteran community; sustained funding for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to avoid any recurrence of the claims backlog; and increased resourcing of the Australian Defence Force to meet current and future national security challenges.

In what could be a tight election race, the RSL invited party leaders and key portfolio spokespeople to record a short video response for communication to the Defence and veteran community

The Greens and Labor provided video responses, and the Coalition provided a written response, as did the Labor Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Matt Keogh. The responses can be viewed and read here.

RSL Australia National President, Greg Melick, says recognising the tremendous sacrifice of veterans is a national imperative and it is vital to ensure that Defence personnel, veterans, and their families, receive the support they need and deserve.

“Whatever the outcome of this election, RSL Australia expects strong, decisive leadership and an enduring commitment from the major parties, as well as crossbench MPs and senators, to ensure the Royal Commission’s recommendations are fully implemented,” Greg Melick said.

“Beyond their service, veterans remain a vital asset to Australian society. Their leadership, resilience, and unique skills, forged in service, make them highly valued contributors to the civilian workforce. Driven by a continued sense of duty, they actively strengthen our communities.

“The RSL stands ready to work with all sides of politics to bring about real, long-lasting, and meaningful change that leads to improved health and wellbeing outcomes for current and former serving ADF members, and their families.

“On the election of the new Parliament, I trust our servicemen and women, past and present, can count on the support of every MP and Senator to ensure their health and wellbeing remains a priority for our nation long into the future,” Greg Melick said.

Details of the RSL’s five key election is available here: https://www.rslaustralia.org/election-asks