A message from our Director about 'Bob'
Dear supporters,
Please tell your mates: we continue to provide free legal support across Australia to veterans like Bob.
We helped Bob to make a submission to the Royal Commission but our assistance did not end there.
Bob (that’s not his real name and some details have been changed) is a client of ours who came to us for two reasons.
- Firstly, he wanted his story to be heard by the Royal Commission.
- And secondly, he was struggling with problems relating to his entitlements and the breakdown of his marriage.
Almost 6,000 people made a submission to the Royal Commission and Bob was one of about 1,500 individuals who sought our assistance with their submissions. We were privileged to support them with that – and we are just as keen to assist veterans with other legal issues.
We provide free legal advice, preliminary assistance and guided referrals regarding various legal issues commonly experienced by those who have served in the ADF.
Our support is confidential, independent and free.
To find out more about the support we offer, call us on 1800 33 1800. You can remain anonymous if you wish to.
Sincerely,
Jasmine Stanton
Please share this survey
We want to know more about your legal needs and the needs of Defence and Veteran communities throughout Australia.
To help us provide the services you require, we have created a short and anonymous survey.
The survey will enable us to gather more feedback about the legal needs of people who have served in the ADF.
Please share the link to this simple and quick survey: https://bit.ly/DAVLS-survey
We continue to provide free legal advice, preliminary legal assistance, guided referrals and legal education services.
Our assistance covers areas including:
- veteran entitlements and compensation
- family law problems (including parenting arrangements and the division of assets)
- wills and estates
- family violence and domestic violence orders
- employment law (including discrimination, harassment, unfair dismissal, and the transition into civilian industries)
- consumer law (including issues relating to insurance, consumer credit and debt)
- redress for abuse in the Defence Force
- mental health rights
- traffic issues.
Have your say by completing our short online survey.
Role call: my uncle's RSL had the cheapest drinks in town
What brought you to work with veterans?
I have always had an interest in defence and veterans issues, having had an uncle who served in the Navy during the Korean war.
As a veteran, he then managed an RSL in Newcastle. It had the cheapest drinks in town when I was a young university student, and so it became an interesting hub of activity for veterans and local uni students.
Working for DAVLS also enabled me to utilise some of my previous experience in legal roles that support people who have experienced trauma. I am a mental health lawyer and I have also worked with vulnerable individuals as a Witness Assistance Officer at the Director of Public Prosecutions.
What do you like about serving and ex-serving ADF people?
Their honesty, commitment, and their passion for serving their country.
What do you most enjoy about your role?
Empowering people so they understand their legal rights and obligations.
I enjoy seeing my clients come out of the process feeling like they understand their legal and non-legal options. That knowledge helps them make informed decisions about how they would like to proceed with matters that affect them.
What did you do before working as a lawyer with DAVLS?
I previously worked as a welfare rights advocate, witness assistance officer, legal secretary, performer, sales representative, receptionist - and a fruit picker during COVID.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
Riding my motorcycle, horse riding, going to the beach, bush walking, tennis, listening to music, watching films and TV shows, dancing, reading the Bible and worship, spending time with my family, friends and fur babies.
Client feedback
We have really appreciated the kind remarks of the many clients who sought our assistance with their Royal Commission submissions and other legal issues.
Free support with private sessions
Have you already booked a private session meeting with the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide?
If so, we can provide free legal support and advice to assist you with that upcoming meeting.
Please note, however, that the deadline for booking a private session has now passed.
Private sessions will continue to be conducted in the months ahead. They allow a person to have a confidential, face-to-face discussion with a Royal Commissioner or an Assistant Commissioner. These conversations give people the opportunity to tell their stories in a supportive environment that recognises the traumatic impact of the issues being discussed.
A shout-out to our supporters
We continue to provide high numbers of services and are grateful to the many veterans organisations that support our efforts.
Outside the wire - outreach across the nation
Across Australia, we continue to support our clients and to spread the word about free legal support for those who have served.
The round-up below provides some highlights about our activities in various locations.
Remembrance Day fundraiser
In Sydney, we were pleased to support the RSL Lifecare Poppy Ball fundraiser on HMAS Adelaide.
This function raised more than $170,000 and all of that will go to services that support veterans and their families.
Some of those services are provided at the Riverina Veteran Wellbeing Centre in Wagga Wagga. We were recently at that location to support clients taking part in private session meetings with Royal Commissioners.
Veterans and Families Wellbeing Hub
Our Queensland staff recently visited the new Veterans and Families Wellbeing Hub at Caboolture.
This purpose-built centre was formally opened at a ceremony featuring this terrific cake.
The centre provides practical assistance, including social and wellbeing support, to veterans and their families.
Our Qld team also attended the ADF transition seminar in Brisbane. It’s estimated this event attracted about 500 people, and we were pleased to chat with a number of them about the free legal support we provide.
Forever in bloom
In Darwin on Remembrance Day, we were delighted to receive these crocheted poppies.
They were given to us on one of our regular visits to the Billeroy House Veterans and Families Community Centre.
Poppies are an important symbol on Remembrance Day; they were among the first flowers that grew on the French and Belgian battlefields after World War I.
Future hearings and dates for your diary
The Royal Commission has held public hearings in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Townsville, Hobart, Darwin, Wagga Wagga, Adelaide and Melbourne.
Key dates to be aware of
March 2024 - Royal Commission public hearings in Sydney
17 June 2024 - final Royal Commission report due
Resources
Many of our resources are available for download from our website. We are also happy to send out printed copies to our stakeholders.
Where possible, we can also send them our promotional materials that help to spread the word about our free services.
To order our free resources (including posters, brochures, wallet cards and factsheets etc) please contact us at DAVLS@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.
DAVLS in your community
Our lawyers work with local ex-service and veteran support organisations across the country, delivering community presentations and attending community events.
Book a presentation
If you would like DAVLS to deliver a presentation or attend an event in your community, either in person or virtually, contact us at DAVLS@legalaid.nsw.gov.au
At your event, we can answer your questions in a friendly and relaxed environment.
Depending on your event, we can also include opportunities for confidential, one-on-one discussions.Enter your description
Royal Commission hearings
You can also find us at Royal Commission hearings.
We attend all the hearings and we have an information stall at the hearing venues. These stalls help us to connect with members of the Defence and veteran community.
Webinar
This webinar includes information from our staff about the support we provide and some of the options that are available to our clients.
Helping groups that can face additional barriers
We work closely with support organisations across Australia to spread the word about the specialist services we provide. Through this work, we have identified some groups (see below) that may face additional barriers when it comes to engaging with this Royal Commission.
Serving members
We travel widely to inform Defence Force members and their families about the support we provide to those who are currently serving.
Defence families
We attend many events and locations involving Defence families. This includes family fun days and sessions at wellbeing centres that support ADF families. At these locations and others, we highlight the important role that family members can play in shaping the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
Sex and gender diverse communities
We have engaged the help of various organisations that represent LGBTQIA+ personnel and veterans, and we provide support to help them with legal issues.
First Nations people
Through close consultation with First Nations communities, we have developed a range of resources including posters and brochures for First Nations people. We also liaise with key stakeholders and attend events focussing on Indigenous veterans and ADF members.
Veterans in prisons
We strive to ensure people in prison can access our services wherever they are in Australia. We have created resources for use in prisons. We also provide outreach services in some correctional facilities and deliver our support to inmates via phone or video.
Stories From the Frontline
Our podcast series, Stories from the Frontline, showcases first-person stories from veterans that have a connection to our service.
The episodes are powerful and short - usually about five minutes long.
Listen to them here.
Crisis support
For immediate help in a crisis, please contact one of the following services:
Suicide Call Back Service (a 24-hour counselling service for suicide prevention and mental health) 1300 659 467
Lifeline Australia (a 24-hour crisis support line) 13 11 14
Beyond Blue (free, immediate short-term counselling) 1300 224 636
Open Arms (a free and confidential 24/7 national counselling service for Australian veterans and their families) 1800 011 046
Defence All-hours Support Line 1800 628 036
Triple Zero 000