Diversity

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ (DVA) vision is to be responsive and flexible in delivering high quality and connected services to all generations of veterans, their families and the wider veteran community. With a focus on creativity and innovation, our inclusive and diverse workforce reflects and represents the community we serve.

At DVA, we recognise the strength that diversity brings. Valuing unique thoughts, experiences and abilities fosters curiosity, innovation, and workplace efficiency.

We are committed to cultivating a culture of diversity, inclusion and respect, empowering our staff to reach their full potential.

We achieve this by embracing individuals with diverse skills, experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. This includes our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, staff with disabilities, staff identifying as LGBTQIA+, and staff from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

Diversity and Inclusion Artwork

Known as "Diversity and Inclusion", this painting represents DVA’s Diversity Strategy.

On the top left-hand side, the painting shows a community symbol made up of DVA's culture wheel colours – blue, aqua, green, grey and maroon. Surrounding the symbol is the Southern Cross, which represents Australia.

The next five community symbols represent the five areas of diversity, in order these are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA+, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, Disability Family and Carers, and Gender Equality.

The final symbol in the bottom right corner combines all of the previous into one, using the colours from the DVA community symbol and each of the five areas of diversity. 

From the top left to bottom right of the painting, white spirit trails flow throughout the paining linking all of the symbols together. 

In the background, the three areas of camouflage represent the three services within the Australian Defence Force which are Army, Navy and Air Force. The large dotted coloured circles in the background represent each of the eight Australian States and Territories.

Each of the five areas of diversity are represented by a uniquely designed symbol.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community symbol uses the colours from both flags, paying respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures and history, including symbols for the boomerang, spear, shield and service personnel.

The LGBTQIA+ community symbol uses the colours from the Pride flag, with a rainbow poppy in the centre representing LGBTQIA+ service personnel. DVA fosters an environment in which staff who identify as LGBTQIA+ feel valued, by promoting an inclusive working environment free from all forms of prejudice.

The CALD community symbol uses colours from international flags and has people of all nationalities and backgrounds connected holding hands to utilise their knowledge, skills and experience.

The Disability Family and Carers community symbol uses open hands to represent the support from carers, and DVA, who are committed to supporting people with a disability to be equal citizens within DVA and wider Australia.

The Gender Equality community symbol represents equality between all genders. DVA focuses on maintaining a gender balance, developing a culture of inclusion by valuing input by all genders and providing access to equal opportunities.

The painting also includes emu feet, hand imprints, red poppies, spears and a shield, and a boomerang with the painting name, “Diversity and Inclusion”. 

Disability Employment Strategy 2021 – 2025

DVA is committed to supporting the Australian Public Service Disability Employment Strategy 2020-25 objectives of focusing on the attraction, recruitment and retention of people with disability, in addition to creating more accessible and inclusive workplace cultures and environments.

To further this commitment, DVA has developed a tailored Disability Employment Strategy 2021 – 2025. This Strategy aims to improve employment outcomes for people with disability at DVA. This strategy provides a comprehensive plan to introduce new initiatives and improve existing programs to increase employment outcomes and address barriers that people with disability may face in the workplace.

Reconciliation Action Plan

The department’s second Reconciliation Action Plan 2018 -2020, Innovate, is committed to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians are working together to support reconciliation. We seek to be part of a community that recognises and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, supporting respectful opportunities and building relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans, service providers and the wider Australian community.

DVA is in the process of finalising the third DVA Reconciliation Action Plan.

Gurru Ngali Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy 2020 – 2024

DVA’s Gurru Ngali Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy 2020 – 2024 supports the Commonwealth-wide approach to develop culturally safe and DVA’s inclusive workplaces, with a greater Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce representation at each classification level and across all business areas.  We are committed to improving the employee experience of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff through an enhanced focus on recruitment, development, career progression and retention in the DVA workforce.

DVA Gender Equity Action Plan 2022-2026

DVA is committed to supporting the Australian Public Service Gender Equality Strategy 2021-2026, a shared vision for gender equality towards which everyone in the APS can contribute.

The tailored DVA Gender Equity Action Plan 2022-2026 outlines DVA's commitment to further embedding gender equality and equity into all that we do through short, medium and long-term actions. DVA continues to focus on maintaining an effective gender balance at all levels. 

The six action areas include:

• Leadership and accountability that progresses gender equality through individual and collective action.
• Respectful workplaces and empowered people that prioritises our people's safety and wellbeing.
• Shifting gender stereotypes to support the career and life choices of our people.
• Flexible ways of working to give our people more choice and enhance their contributions at work.
• Gender data that ensures our efforts are informed by the evidence base and progress is visible.
• Leveraging our external influence to champion gender equality in our everyday work.

Diversity Champions and Committees

The DVA has six Senior Executive Staff (SES) Diversity Champions, one for each of our key focus areas. SES Champions are advocates at the senior level who are responsible for fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, demonstrating their support for diversity and inclusion. They demonstrate this by ensuring diversity and inclusion is embedded in the strategic objectives of the department. The Committees include:  

• Gender Equality Diversity Committee
• Disability and Carers Diversity Committee 
• PRIDE (LGBTQIA+) Diversity Committee
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Diversity Committee
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Committee
• Internal Veterans and Families Diversity Committee

Our Partners

Internal membership from staff networks, SES Diversity Champions and Diversity Committees.  

We partner with the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) to support our efforts in turning up the volume on Indigenous Employment.

DVA also hold corporate memberships with Diversity Council Australia (DCA), Pride in Diversity, Defence LGBTI Information Service (DEFGLIS) and Australian Disability Network.

For more information about Diversity in DVA, contact diversity [at] dva.gov.au (diversity[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au)