Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs

Background

In 2019, $30 million was committed to develop a network of six Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs (formerly known as Veteran Wellbeing Centres) in Perth, Townsville, Adelaide, Wodonga, Nowra and Darwin. The hubs were established in partnership with ex-service organisations and state and territory governments. 

Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs deliver integrated support to veterans and families and improve access to local services which may include wellbeing support, advocacy, employment and housing advice, social connection and physical and mental health services.

Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs are open to all current and former serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, including reservists, and their families.

The hubs in Perth, Townsville, Adelaide, Wodonga, Nowra and Darwin are now fully established and providing support to veterans and families. 

Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs Network expansion 

As part of the 2021–22 Federal Budget, funding was provided to expand the hubs network into Southeast Queensland and Tasmania, with $5 million committed for each location. 

On 23 December 2021, a further commitment of $2.5 million was announced to support the provision of wellbeing services and support to veterans and families in Tasmania, bringing the total funding for Tasmania to $7.5 million. This included $2.2 million for the North West Tasmanian Veteran Welfare Board to establish a hub in Burnie and $250,000 for enhancements at Launceston RSL.

In the October 2022 Budget, $46.7 million was committed to establish eight new Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs across the country. This included a commitment to continue the work underway to establish hubs in Southeast Queensland and Tasmania.

Tasmania

On 31 March 2023, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs officially opened VeteranHub at the enhanced Launceston RSL facility.  

On 28 June 2023, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs awarded RSL Tasmania $5 million to lead the establishment of a hub in Tasmania. This project, which will link a hub in Hobart with the enhanced Launceston VeteranHub and a number of smaller sites or ‘spokes’ across the state is now underway with completion expected in mid-2025.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs officially opened the hub in Burnie on 13 June 2024.  The general practitioner led hub established by North West Tasmanian Veteran Welfare Board is now operational in Burnie.

Southeast Queensland

On 17 January 2023, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs announced that Lives Lived Well will lead the establishment of a hub in Caboolture in Southeast Queensland.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs officially opened the Hub at Caboolture on 11 October 2023.

Establishing the eight new hubs

The establishment of the eight new hubs funded by the investment of a further $46.7 million in the 25 October 2022 Budget is underway.  

The eight new hubs are being established in the following locations:

• Hawkesbury region, New South Wales;
• Hunter region, New South Wales;
• Tweed/North Coast region, New South Wales;
• Queanbeyan, New South Wales;
• Ipswich, Queensland;
• Northern Adelaide, South Australia;
• Southwest Perth, Western Australia; and
• Surf Coast/Geelong region, Victoria.

Completion of the new hubs is expected by mid-2026, with services to veterans and families likely to be provided before this time.

As the network of Veterans' and Families Hubs develops, it presents an opportunity to improve the coordination and delivery of integrated support to veterans and families through government, business and community partnerships.

Funding under this program is being provided via grant processes administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Consultations for the eight new Hub locations

Initial online consultation sessions for the expansion of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs program were conducted in November and December 2022, for each of the new hub locations. These sessions were attended by ex-service organisations, veteran and family service providers and other interested parties and provided information on the intent of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs program, what had occurred to date and the future of the program expansion.

Detailed online sessions were held through February and March 2023, and were attended by organisations interested in submitting an application to lead the establishment and ongoing operations of a hub, form part of a consortium, or be part of the service model in a new hub once established. The sessions provided detailed information on the Grant Opportunity Guidelines and the grant application process. 

The application process 

The grant application process opened shortly after the detailed consultation sessions were held for each location.  Applicants were given four weeks to prepare and submit their applications.  

An application assessment process was undertaken by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and recommendations made to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.  Selected organisations were invited by the Minister to develop a business case for each location.  

Organisations selected to develop a business case to establish and operate a hub were required to undertake local consultation to identify the needs of veterans and families in that region. This consultation was to inform the proposed service model of the hub, including a range of services and supports to meet those needs.

As a result of the business cases submitted to the Department, the lead organisations awarded $5 million (GST exclusive) to establish hubs in each location are listed in the table below.

Established Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs

The existing hub locations and lead organisations are shown in the table below.

Role of Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs

Wellbeing describes how you feel about yourself and your life. It includes a complex combination of biological, lifestyle, socioeconomic, societal and environmental factors. Access to health care, welfare support and other interventions can greatly affect an individual’s sense of wellbeing (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018).

The hubs provide a space for veterans’ services and advocacy organisations to co-exist and provide integrated support to current and ex-service personnel and families. Hubs provide access to local veteran services, which may include health and mental health services, wellbeing support, advocacy, employment and housing advice, and social connection. 

Hubs either provide or facilitate access to these services, integrating support to veterans and families in partnership with ex service organisations, community and other organisations and state and territory governments. 

Accessing Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs

The hubs and their services are available to all current and former serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, including reservists, and families.

The organisations that operate the hubs have unique operational and service models based on local needs and will determine their own cost arrangements and charges (if any) to veterans and families. Whilst some services may be free of charge, services facilitated via the hubs to another service provider may have their own fee structures.

Services provided

Each hub provides a space for veterans’ services and advocacy organisations to co-exist and deliver integrated support to current and ex-service personnel and their families. Hubs provide access to local services, which may include, but are not limited to:

• physical and mental health services
• wellbeing support
• advocacy
• employment and housing advice
• social connection.

Lead organisations provide integrated support for veterans and families in partnership with ex-service, community and other organisations, including state and territory governments.

Grant Opportunity Guidelines

The Grant Opportunity Guidelines effective 28 October 2022, provide further details about the grant and the aims and objectives of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs Program. These Guidelines are updated from time to time to reflect changes in the program.

The Grant Opportunity Guidelines effective 15 October 2021, apply to formal applications for grant funding under this program, submitted prior to 28 October 2022.

Hub regional differences

The lead organisations of each hub will continue to consult with veterans, families and the local community to align services and support with local needs and opportunities. They will also undertake reviews and evaluations to ensure the hubs remain responsive to changes in local needs and priorities.

Tasmanian feasibility study

In September 2020, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Tasmanian Government engaged the University of Tasmania (UTAS), to undertake a joint feasibility study into a veteran support service for the state.

The Tasmanian Veterans Needs Assessment and Wellbeing Support Service Feasibility Study is available to download.

The feasibility study highlighted the need for localised veteran support services to cater for a dispersed veteran community across Tasmania.

Community consultation was a critical component of the study and informed the decision making about the most effective model for the delivery of veteran and family wellbeing services in Tasmania.

ACT feasibility study

The ACT Government and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs undertook a joint feasibility study into how to best support the wellbeing of ACT veterans and families.

The ACT Veterans Feasibility Study is available to download on the ACT Government website.

More information

For more information about the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub Program, please email veteransandfamilieshubs [at] dva.gov.au (veteransandfamilieshubs[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au)