Speeches
Friday, 14 February 2025
RSL SA Reach Out Program Launch
It is my pleasure to join you today to launch the RSL Reach Out Program, now operating in South Australia, the Northern Territory and Broken Hill.
As Governor, I am committed to supporting those who serve and have served our nation in any way I can.
The work that has been done in this regard by the RSL and aligned organisations over many decades is a matter of record. We admire and are grateful for it.
Through you, our obligation as a nation to invest in our servicemen and women and their families, can be realised, at least in part.
The respect in the community for those who are serving today and have served is deeply engrained and runs deep across the State.
Meeting the needs of veterans in our community is complex and ever evolving.
I am pleased to see that, with the creation of the Reach Out program, the RSL is expanding its service offering to veterans.
I thank the RSL, and in particular your CEO, for identifying an opportunity in the wellbeing space and taking action to fill it.
The Reach Out program is the first of its kind for the RSL in Australia, and I thank the South Australian branch for showing leadership in this way.
The challenges that veterans face are well known.
Mental or physical injuries, making the transition to civilian life and losing the camaraderie, order and purpose of active service – these factors can be significant hurdles to overcome.
This can be even harder if veterans are also dealing with isolation.
We know that life’s difficulties feel even heavier when we face them alone.
I thank the Reach Out program for providing veterans with someone they can talk to, to share their fears and concerns, to give them hope.
Sometimes the sense of having someone in our corner is enough to help us take action and make the changes we need in our lives.
On the surface, the support may seem modest – a friendly coffee and chat, assistance with an urgent bill, the gift of a second-hand computer, the support of another person at a medical appointment.
But for a person in distress, these actions can – and we know have already – feel like a lifeline for those receiving them.
There are many committed people in the veteran support space in South Australia across the government and not for profit sector.
However, negotiating the many different services and programs can be overwhelming for people, especially when they are already struggling.
The Reach Out program supports clients to determine the best path through, relieving them of the stress and effort of trying to work it out on their own.
I congratulate the RSL on the rapid uptake of the program, which has already supported well over 400 veterans in its first months, including the pilot period.
The program will continue to support these veterans for as long as they need, and I thank the RSL for its commitment to these servicemen and women.
I also thank the volunteers working in the Reach Out program.
You have dedicated significant time and energy to undertake training and work with clients, some of whom face significant emotional and logistical challenges.
Many of you are veterans yourselves, or a relative of a veteran – but not all – and I thank everyone for their generosity.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to overcoming our challenges, or to living a good life.
I thank the RSL Board, staff and volunteers for providing tailored support to all veterans in the Reach Out program.
I also thank financial supporters, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and Largs Bay RSL, contributors from the defence sector as well as other RSL sub-branches, for their generous contributions which enable this program to be carried out.
I wish the RSL every success with the Reach Out program, as it works to give veterans the support they require, and deserve.
It is my great pleasure to declare the Reach Out program officially open.