The RSL in Victoria has welcomed the 2024 federal budget’s investment and support of veterans and their families and recommitment to implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The 2024 budget features a financial commitment of:

• $2 million over two years to continue DVA’s mental health literacy and suicide intervention training program
• $64.1 million in additional resourcing to the DVA to address the claims backlog
• $254.1 million investment to modernise and sustain the DVA’s ICT systems
• $500,000 over four years to expand eligibility for the Acute Support Package introduced in the October 2022 Budget facilitating the inclusion of grandcarers – grandparents who are also full-time carers of children of veterans.

RSL Victoria’s State President, Dr Robert Webster OAM said, “This budget commitment from the Federal Government demonstrates a welcome approach that seeks to address many of the frustrations that veterans and their families have with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ systems and processes. The budget also acknowledges and re-confirms this Government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

“We welcome the further acknowledgement of these issues and this ongoing investment in the needs of the veteran community. This budget shows that the Federal Government is listening to the voices of veterans and their families and the RSL will continue working to ensure they are heard.”

Read the budget overview here: https://budget.gov.au/content/overview/download/budget_overview.pdf