Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Exposure Draft - submissions received
The Consultation Report on the public consultation for the Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (Exposure Draft) is available for download.
Consultation on the Exposure Draft opened on 28 January 2025 and closed on 7 March 2025. Responses were received via an online survey and also written submissions.
Written submissions addressing the Exposure Draft, whose authors have permitted publication are listed below. Personal information has been removed from submissions. If you have concerns about any redactions, please contact MHWSTRATEGY@dva.gov.au.
Survey responses with publication consent will be published shortly.
Caution: If you choose to review the submissions, please note some readers may find parts of the content confronting or distressing.
If you or somebody else is at immediate risk call 000.
For less urgent assistance, contact one of the following support services.
Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467
Provides free 24/7 telephone, online, and video counselling and crisis support to all Australians affected by suicide.
Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14
Provides free 24/7 online and phone personal crisis support and suicide
Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling – 1800 011 046
Open Arms provides mental health and wellbeing support to anyone who has served at least one day of continuous fulltime service in the ADF and their immediate families.
Online submissions were received from the following organisations:
- Australian Association of Psychologists Incorporated
- Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation
- Australian National Veterans Arts Museum
- Australian Psychological Society
- Australian War Widows
- Carers NSW
- Collated submissions from individuals
- CQUniversity Australia
- Everymind (NSW Health)
- KSC Advocates
- Legacy Melbourne
- Lifeline Australia
- Mates4Mates
- Nasho Fair Go Ltd
- National Suicide Prevention Office
- Occupational Therapy Australia
- Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health
- Queensland Alliance for Mental Health
- Queensland Mental Health Commission
- Rationalist Society Australia
- RSL Australia, Legacy Australia, Defence Force Welfare Association, Defence Reserves Association, Women Veterans Australia (Joint Submission)
- Safeside Prevention
- University of New South Wales
- Vasey RSL
- Veteran Care Association
- Veterans Reference Group