Parties pledge $5 million for one-stop veterans hub

A $5 MILLION Veteran Wellbeing Centre has been promised for the Surf Coast and Geelong region should Labor or Liberal win government at the upcoming election.

Proposed as a one-stop shop for veterans and their families to access a range of services such as transition, wellbeing support, advocacy, employment and housing assistance and social connection, the preferred location according to Corangamite MP Libby Coker is at the Torquay Bowls Club.

“Situated between parklands, the beach and the ocean … there is a great social environment where veterans can connect into a community. There’s an existing RSL Club in the area, one of Victoria’s most thriving bowling and social clubs, and room for expansion on the site.”

Torquay RSL president Bob Tyler described the potential centre as a “god fill” for veterans in the area that he said are underserviced.

“Well and truly, I can’t say it any more than that. We’ve been waiting for this sort of thing to happen for a long time.”

Announcing the plan alongside Labor’s spokesperson for Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel Shayne Neumann on Thursday (April 20) at the club, the centre would require an upgrade to the current building where rooms are sub-let to the Torquay RSL Branch.

Construction of a second storey on the existing site would be the most likely outcome were the project to go ahead.

“We’ll be open to it … as long as it wasn’t impactful on the environment or the site,” Torquay Bowls Club chairperson Gary Banks said.

“I think it’s a great announcement for the veterans of Corangamite and we’ve for 10 years had RSL housed in the club with us … it’s been a great relationship and we think that anything that assists the members of the RSL to have the facility they’re describing is a great one.”

The recent Royal Commission into veteran Defence and Veteran Suicide is proof the centre is needed in the region according to Mr Neumann.

“The centre will be a family-friendly space and provide peer-to-peer support for veterans and their families, bringing together critical services under one roof.

“We want to see a facility run by veterans, for veterans, that’s inclusive and easily accessible for all ex-service men and women in the community.”

While Torquay is the preferred site, both Ms Coker and Mr Neumann acknowledge that other veterans organisations such as Geelong’s RSL Sub Branch may apply to host the hub and the plan is still subject to a consultation process with other stakeholders like the state RSL executive.

“We have to go through a process and there may be others that step up to the plate too,” Ms Coker said.

Liberal Corangamite candidate Stephanie Asher matched the promise and $5 million funding commitment.

“Under this important commitment, local veterans and their families will have access to a much greater level of support they deserve closer to home,” Ms Asher said.

As with the Labor announcement, Ms Asher said a final location for the wellbeing centre would be subject to consultation with local stakeholders.

A dual announcement of the proposed facility now means its future construction is almost certain regardless of who wins the May 21 election, given each major party candidate has given it the green light.