Member’s statement

Last week I visited Goorambat Veterans’ Retreat run by former army staff officer and veterans’ welfare advocate Phil Thomson. Phil’s supported by his wife Jo, who runs an associated social enterprise called the Digger’s Wife café.

Goorambat’s a wheatbelt community near Benalla that’s home to almost 300 people.

Since late 2019 this not-for-profit charity has been transforming the old primary school as a retreat for Australian Defence Force veterans and their families.

It offers emergency accommodation and support for those challenged by the return to everyday life or facing personal hardship.

The last census identified 5900 former defence personnel living in Shepparton, Wangaratta, Euroa and Mansfield. But almost 2000 are not connected with Veterans Affairs.

Among all of them are those who look to Goorambat for respite, support and recovery. Some are identified as ‘young’, having left the ADF in the past 22 years. And they include 18 to 24-year-old ex-servicemen who – tragically – risk suicide at twice the rate of Australian men in the same age range.

The Veterans’ Retreat has worked hard to win state and federal grant support. But demand is high, more is needed, and the hunt for funds is constant. I invite the Veterans Minister to visit Goorambat and hear what can be done to help this vital service, and I extend my best wishes to Phil Thomson, who has done an absolutely incredible job of maintaining and creating this incredible retreat.