Each ANZAC Day, Australians rise early in the cold dawn, light a candle, and bow their heads in solemn remembrance. We honour courage, mateship, and sacrifice. We say "Lest We Forget."
But too often, we do forget—especially those who came home.
As the CEO of Vasey RSL Care, I see the reality behind the sentiment. Veterans—those same people we applaud on ANZAC Day—are disproportionately homeless, unemployed, and dying by suicide. They are three times more likely to sleep rough than other Australians. That is not just unacceptable. It is a national disgrace.
These aren't nameless faces. They are people who committed their lives to the protection of ours. And yet, as we approach another federal election, veterans are once again forced to fight—not for their country, but for basic support.
At Vasey RSL Care, we built the V Centre Veteran Empowerment Program to change that. We couldn't wait a single day longer and see one more life lost. It is the only service in Australia directly aligned with the Royal Commission's call for veteran-specific housing and integrated support. And yet, despite the clear need, despite the recommendations, we are still footing the bill alone, running it on a shoe–string budget.
If this country can't help the people who helped it, what has it come to?
In the lead up to the election, vulnerable Australians are crying out to be heard. But some cries come from the depths of desperation—and our veterans' cries must not go unanswered.
This ANZAC Day, we remember the dead. But let's also protect the living. It's time for our elected leaders to put words into action and fund programs that give our veterans what they truly deserve: dignity, stability, and hope.
Because no one who served Australia should be abandoned.
