March 7, 2014
Federal Member for Gippsland and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Darren Chester is encouraging the local veteran community to have their say on the future of services offered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).
Mr Chester said that the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Michael Ronaldson has advised that consultation on the future of some shopfront services in regional Victoria had begun.
Consultations will focus on shopfronts throughout Victoria and New South Wales, including those located in Bairnsdale and Morwell.
“The Department of Veterans’ Affairs staff in Gippsland have an excellent reputation for assisting our veterans’ community and it’s important that local residents have their say on how they would like to access services in the future,” Mr Chester said.
“The consultation process throughout March is an invitation to veterans, war widows, widowers and family members to have their say.”
Mr Ronaldson said the consultation process would conclude on March 26, 2014, and would guide DVA in deciding the future provision of current services.
“The government is committed to a stand-alone Department of Veterans’ Affairs which delivers efficient services to veterans right across Australia”, Mr Ronaldson said.
“More and more of our veterans, war widows, widowers and their families are choosing the telephone or the internet to make contact with DVA. Visits to our shop fronts are down 28 per cent since 2009.
“As the veteran community changes so too must the Department adapt and respond to changing circumstances.”
Information on how members of the veteran community can be involved in the consultation process is available through the DVA website www.dva.gov.au