Australian Government Commits $739 Million to Veteran Support

The Australian Government has allocated $739 million to expand its support system for veterans, introducing new treatments and rehabilitation activities. This commitment responds to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

Expanded Services and Treatments

The expanded support system includes funding for new medical treatments and preventative interventions:

• Psychedelic Therapies: Funding for MDMA and psilocybin treatments for severe cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will be provided. Australia became the first country to permit authorized treatments using MDMA and psilocybin in 2023. These treatments are considered a last resort for resistant PTSD, administered under strict safeguards, and involve intensive preparatory and therapy sessions.

• Medicinal Cannabis: Funding will also be available for medicinal cannabis to treat chronic pain and other physical illnesses.

• Rehabilitation Plans: The government will support "rehabilitation plans" with up to $2,000 for social wellbeing activities. These plans are available to veterans with an accepted compensation claim for service-related injury. Funded activities include yoga, gym memberships, golf, pilates, music and arts courses, community group memberships, financial counselling, pet care, resilience training, and certificate or diploma courses. Activities related to medical treatment, travel, meals, accommodation, or those already offered by Open Arms are not eligible.

Rationale and Impact

Department of Veterans Affairs chief psychiatrist Dr. Jon Lane stated that much of the distress veterans experience during transition from service stems from a loss of identity and culture. He emphasized that helping veterans find new purpose through community-based activities is crucial for re-integration, noting that such recovery often occurs outside traditional hospital settings.

Dr. Jon Lane highlighted that "much of the distress veterans experience during transition from service stems from a loss of identity and culture," underscoring the importance of community for recovery.

Veterans Affairs Minister Matt Keogh stated that earlier interventions aim to help veterans before conditions become more severe. He also mentioned that faster processing of claims has enabled quicker access to these new treatments.

Fraud Prevention

Alongside the $739 million commitment, the government has launched a $200 million initiative to address fraudulent claims within the veterans payment system by targeting individuals and entities defrauding the system.