As Australians gather this ANZAC Day to honour the courage, mateship, and sacrifice of those who served, a stark reality casts a shadow over the commemorations.
Janna Voloshin, CEO of Vasey RSL Care, has called out the government for its failure to support homeless war veterans, labelling their plight a “national disgrace” that stains the spirit of the day.
“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,” Voloshin said.
Her words underscore a troubling truth: veterans, the very people lauded for their service, are disproportionately homeless, unemployed, and dying by suicide.
The statistics are damning. Veterans are three times more likely to sleep rough than other Australians.
“These aren’t nameless faces. They are people who committed their lives to the protection of ours,” Voloshin emphasised. Yet, as the nation approaches another federal election, these men and women are forced to fight not for their country, but for basic support.
“If this country can’t help the people who helped it, what has it come to?” she asked.
Vasey RSL Care has taken matters into its own hands, launching the V Centre Veteran Empowerment Program – the only service in Australia directly aligned with the Royal Commission’s call for veteran-specific housing and integrated support.
“We couldn’t wait a single day longer and see one more life lost,” Voloshin said. However, the organisation is funding the program alone, operating on a “shoe-string budget” despite clear need and government recommendations.
Voloshin’s frustration is palpable as she calls for action. “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,” she urged.
Her message is clear: lip service on ANZAC Day is not enough. “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.”
The CEO’s impassioned plea serves as a stark reminder that the nation’s gratitude must extend beyond ceremonies and rhetoric.
“Because no one who served Australia should be abandoned,” Voloshin declared. As Australians reflect on the sacrifices of war this ANZAC Day, the government faces a moral imperative to ensure those who served are not left to fend for themselves on the streets.
