Press conference, Wodonga Veterans' and Families' Hub opening

E&Oe transcript 
Press Conference
Wodonga, Victoria

JOURNALIST: Matt, what is it like to be here today?

MATT KEOGH: It's a huge honour to be here for the opening of the Tim Fischer Veterans' and Families' Hub. It's an important addition to our Veterans’ and Families’ Hub Network around Australia. We're rolling out another ten of these around the country. But to be able to provide services that we run out of this to over 4,000 Defence personnel, veterans and families in this region is so important.

JOURNALIST: What are the sort of services that are coming through these centres?

MATT KEOGH: So by having these hubs we're able to bring together advocacy, wellbeing, education, training, employment, as well as referral to other services like medical and mental health supports, all in the one location, which is really important. It's important to have a welcoming centre like this one right here. A fresh building where families feel welcome, where the veterans themselves feel welcome and really engaged.

JOURNALIST: We've been listening to the Royal Commission into Veterans' Suicides. It's pretty harrowing stuff, I suppose you're hoping that this would be something that would have an impact on that down the track.

MATT KEOGH: Well, certainly we've seen some really distressing stories come out of the Defence and Veterans' Suicide Royal Commission. And so, our hope is that by having services that are available like through hubs like this, that we're able to get better service when it's needed, direct people to the services they may need in addition to that, so they're getting the support they need. We're also doing things like improving processing through the Department of Veterans' Affairs so that veterans' claims are being processed more quickly and they're getting the support that they need more quickly, so we can avoid the sorts of issues we're seeing come up at the Royal Commission.

JOURNALIST: And to have this centre named after Tim Fischer, you know, someone who was renowned for caring about how something actually operated rather than just having his name under stuff, must be pretty important?

MATT KEOGH: I think it's very appropriate and important that we've got this centre named after Tim Fischer, who was not only Deputy Prime Minister, but importantly, he was a Nasho - National Serviceman. He's a Vietnam Veteran himself, a great advocate on behalf of our veterans, knowing what they've gone through, and really saw that as something that made them as a person, and into the politician he eventually became and I think it's very appropriate for us to name the centre after him.

END

Authorised by The Hon Matt Keogh MP

Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling provides 24/7 free confidential crisis support for current and ex-serving ADF personnel and their families on 1800 011 046 or the Open Arms website. Safe Zone Support provides anonymous counselling on 1800 142 072. Defence All-Hours Support Line provides support for ADF personnel on 1800 628 036 or the Defence Health Portal. Defence Member and Family Helpline provides support for Defence families on 1800 624 608