Preliminary Pages

Foreword

Over the last 15 years, Australia’s Defence Forces have been almost continuously involved in operations from Africa to the Solomon Islands, and everywhere in between.  Unfortunately not all those that have deployed on operations have returned, and some that have returned, have done so with wounds and scars, not all of which are necessarily visible.

The Defence Sub-Committee welcomed the opportunity presented by this Inquiry to consider the treatment of personnel wounded and injured on operations, their repatriation to Australia, on-going care and return to work, or transition out of the Defence Force.

In our inquiry, we have examined the concerns of wounded and injured members themselves, identified opportunities to improve governmental services provided to them, and looked at some of the perceived or actual barriers preventing full access to support services.  We delved deeply into the concerns related to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues, and explored the importance of the involvement of, and support to, families in the recovery process of the wounded and injured.

With the recent increased awareness of the effects of depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse and indeed PTSD, and issues surrounding suicide rates amongst current and former servicemen and women, the inquiry was particularly timely.  Indeed, as can be seen from the evidence we received, there is a broad community concern at the effect that service, operational or otherwise, is having on members and their families.

Part of Australia’s national identity is formed around the courage and sacrifice of our uniformed services, from the beaches of Gallipoli to the mountains and deserts Afghanistan.  The modern veteran has, in common with the shell-shocked or maimed Digger of World War I or the Vietnam veteran, the right to the best support and services that the country can provide.  Since the First Gulf War, over 45,000 Australians have seen operational service and, even with the prospect of a reduced tempo of operations, the support of this new cohort of veterans must develop on the lessons of the past and continue to be improved.

The Committee considers that, for the most part, the care provided to Australia’s wounded and injured is world class, particularly in the immediate aftermath of a battlefield incident.  The Departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs have honoured their responsibilities to support the recovery and rehabilitation of these individuals and their families and, through various programs, continue to improve veteran support processes and coordination.

Unfortunately, some veterans still ‘fall through the cracks’.  This has to end.

We have developed a series of recommendations to ensure a comprehensive rehabilitation process for the physically wounded; that all forms of mental health issues in our service, ex-service and veteran communities are fully understood and supported; that the importance of families is fully recognised; and that communication and coordination between all agencies involved in the support of our veterans, government and non-government, is optimised.

In the course of the Inquiry, the Committee had the opportunity to travel to a number of cities and meet individuals and organisations supporting Australia’s veterans – the Committee thanks them, and everyone else so involved, for their contribution.  Importantly, the Committee were honoured to meet representatives of those who have put themselves in harm’s way in defence of our nation’s values, and who are carrying scars as a result – the Committee salutes each one.

I conclude by thanking members of the Defence Sub-Committee for their contribution to the inquiry.  We were able to work in a true spirit of bi-partisanship, which is what the Parliamentary Committees do best.  Finally, as always, I thank our servicemen and women for their dedicated contribution to the security of our nation.

Senator Mark Furner
Chair

Membership of the Committee

Membership of the Defence Sub-Committee

Committee Secretariat

Terms of reference

The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade shall examine and report on the care of ADF personnel wounded and injured on operations, with particular reference to:

(a)                    treatment of wounded and injured ADF personnel while in operational areas;

(b)                   repatriation arrangements for wounded and injured personnel from operational areas to Australia;

(c)                    care of wounded and injured personnel on return to Australia, including ongoing health, welfare, and rehabilitation support arrangements;

(d)                   return to work arrangements and management for personnel who can return to ADF service; and

(e)                    management of personnel who cannot return to ADF service including:

(i)                     the medically unfit for further service process;

(ii)                  transition from ADF managed health care and support to Department of Veterans' Affairs managed health care and support; and

(iii)                ongoing health care and support post transition from the ADF.

List of abbreviations

List of recommendations

3     Aeromedical Evacuation

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the Department of Defence continue to make regular contributions to Fisher House as an ongoing measure of Australia’s appreciation for the service provided to our wounded soldiers, until such time that Australian soldiers are no longer deployed to Afghanistan.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Department of Defence and the Australian Taxation Office ensure that Australian Defence Force personnel medically evacuated to Australia retain tax free status for the notional length of their operational deployment, or the actual length of the deployment of their unit, per subsection 23AG(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Department of Defence ensure that Australian Defence Force personnel medically evacuated to Australia continue to accrue War Service Leave and allowances for the notional length of their operational deployment, or the actual length of the deployment of their unit.

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that the Department of Defence and the Australian Taxation Office assist Australian Defence Force personnel previously medically evacuated, and to whom Recommendations Two and Three would have applied, to make successful retrospective claims for reimbursement.

4     A Badge of Honour

Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that the Department of Defence annually publish detailed written assessments of garrison health care contractor key performance indicator statistics.  The Committee further recommends that the written assessments include the results of an ongoing survey of Australian Defence Force personnel regarding their experiences with the performance of garrison health care contractors.

Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that the Department of Defence address the shortcomings in Reservist post-deployment support mechanisms identified in this Inquiry as a priority.

5     Mental Health Concerns

Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs accept complimentary therapies as legitimate treatment for psychological injuries if there is an evidence-based clinical reason to do so.

Recommendation 8

The Committee recommends that the Department of Defence publish periodic detailed written assessments on: