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RSL Australia, the Defence Force Welfare Association (DFWA) and the Defence Reserves Association (DRA) have written a letter to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel supporting the extension of non-liability healthcare to reservists.
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In addition to their submission to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Matt Keogh MP, they sent letters to an array of stakeholder urging bipartisan support on the issue of non-liability healthcare (NLHC) for reservists, including:
- the shadow minister for veterans’ affairs;
- the assistant minister for veterans’ affairs and defence;
- the shadow minister for defence personnel; and
- the secretary of the department of veterans’ affairs.
The three organisations explained that non-liability healthcare is distinct from compensation, though would enable reservists to receive treatment for specified conditions at the expense of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs without “needing to establish a link to service”.
They explained that this would lower barriers to support including mental health services, enabling early intervention and offering the best chance for recovery.
While current and former full-time personnel, including reservists who have served at least one day on a continuous full-time service (CFTS) contract, have access to free mental health treatment, many reservists with years of service have not had been contracted on CFTS, thus excluding them from NLHC.
It is hoped that such a move will support the mental and physical health of Australia’s reserve forces.
[Related: RSL, Servulink pilot ‘Catalogue of Services’]
