RSL LifeCare receives $5.445 million in funding to develop a new Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in the Hunter Region

RSL LifeCare, in partnership with RSL NSW and sub-Branches, will today receive a $5.445 million grant from the Federal Government to develop a Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in the Hunter Region.

The announcement follows RSL LifeCare successfully completing the final stage of the bid for the new facility, part of the Government’s $46.7 million commitment to deliver 10 new Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs across the country.

Over the last 12 months, the 22,000 veterans and their families in the area have only been able to access a range of critical services from a temporary centre in Newcastle. The new Hub will give these veterans a permanent location that they can visit to access support.

The development complements the recently successful bids for three new hubs in Queanbeyan and the Central Coast, and a hub network from the Hawkesbury and South Western Sydney regions. RSL LifeCare also operates three existing hubs in Nowra, Sydney Northern Beaches and the Riverina regions as well as the temporary Newcastle centre.

The new facility will enable RSL LifeCare to continue to implement a ‘Hub and Spoke’ model, developed in consultation with the local communities and other ex-service organisations, through the network of RSL sub-Branches. Through this model, the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs act as primary care centres with RSL sub-Branches providing flexible and innovative care solutions for veterans and their families.

RSL LifeCare CEO Janet Muir said she is thankful for the opportunity to continue to expand the organisation’s support to veterans throughout NSW and the ACT.

“RSL LifeCare, alongside our partner RSL NSW, provides dedicated and holistic support to veterans and their families in NSW and the ACT as a way to give back to the Australian Defence Force members who give so much in service to this country,” Ms Muir said.

“Every new hub, like in the Hunter region, allows us to extend this support to an even greater number of veterans. Thank you to the Department of Veteran Affairs for recognising the need for more hubs throughout the country and for supporting organisations like ours to help bring these hubs to life.”

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said, “for more than 22,000 veterans and families across the Hunter region, today is a very exciting day, soon they won’t need to travel long distances to access the services and supports they need and deserve.”

“I’m so glad to see the consultation that’s been undertaken with the local veteran community to make sure we get this right, we want to make sure this Hub is tailored to the unique needs of local veterans and families.”

“Close to a number of Defence establishments, this Hub will support local veterans and families at every step of their journey, whilst in the Australian Defence Force, through transition and then provide ongoing support in civilian life.”

Last year, RSL NSW sub-Branches donated $3.3 million to RSL LifeCare to ensure that veterans and their families continue to receive free critical services and support, including access to local Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs.

RSL NSW President Mick Bainbridge said “RSL NSW is committed to supporting RSL LifeCare’s Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs because we know they work.”

“The expansion of Hubs in locations with significant Defence and veteran communities is a strong step in the right direction to bolstering the support we deliver to Australian servicemen and women, and their families.”

RSL LifeCare Veteran Services Executive General Manager, David Anderson, said he was thankful for the opportunity to build a dedicated, permanent building for the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub operating out of Maitland.

“The RSL LifeCare Veteran Services team have been doing a fantastic job of supporting the thousands of veterans in the Hunter region out of a temporary centre, and now, thanks to funding from the Department of Veteran Affairs, they can provide an even greater level of support.”

RSL LifeCare Veteran Services will work with a consortium of ex-service organisations and local providers to offer a holistic model for the delivery of critical services and support at the centre of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub strategy.