Dr Edward Scarr
2015 Australian Parliamentary Fellow
[PDF 960KB]
Contents
Acknowledgements
List of interviewees
Executive summary
Introduction
Methodology
Terminology
PART I—THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM
Defining the problem
Prevalence rates of mental ill-health
in service personnel and veterans
Contemporary Australia
First-hand accounts of personal
impacts
Transition
PART II—CHANGING ATTITUDES
The Parliament of Australia
Floor of parliament
Ministerial statements
Vietnam veteran influence
Anecdotal
References to the previous Labor
Government
Minor party positions
The Long Way Home
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Independent voices
Aspirational
Previous committee inquiry
Recent Senate committee inquiry
Parliamentary Friendship Groups
Defence—policy background on mental health
Department of Veterans’ Affairs—policy background on mental
health
Pathways to Care in Veterans Recently Compensated for a
Mental Health Condition (ACPMH—now Phoenix Australia)
Independent Study into Suicide in the Ex-Service
Community 2009 (DVA, conducted by Professor David Dunt)
Australian National Audit Office Audit Report:
Administration of Mental Health Initiatives to Support Younger Veterans (DVA)
Strategy
Australian Public Service Commission
Review of DVA 2013
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Annual Report 2013–14
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Annual Report 2014–15
DVA submission to the recent Senate
inquiry
2014–15 Department of Veterans’
Affairs Budget Fact Sheet
Image problem
PART III—MEASURING PROGRESS
Stigma
Ex-Service Organisations
Reported
experiences of members of the 2nd Commando Regiment—a case study
Prevention
International and Australian approaches to PTSD
Conclusion—harnessing the chaos
Opportunity
Appendices
Appendix A—veteran testimonials
Appendix B
Moral injury
Problems with PTSD itself
The need for a realistic narrative on military ‘service’
Limitations of the entitlement narrative
Appendix C
Rural Fire Service model—Paul Patti, veteran advocate
Appendix D
Abbreviations and acronyms
Disclaimer
This paper was prepared under the Parliamentary Library’s
Australian Parliamentary Fellowship. The views expressed in this paper are
those of the Fellowship author, and do not necessarily reflect the views and
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