The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
VA074c
Friday, 25 July 2008
EXTRA $1.3 MILLION SUPPORT FOR NSW VETERANS
The Rudd Government has provided a further $1.3 million for ex-service organisations across
NSW to directly support the needs of local veterans and their families, the Minister for Veterans’
Affairs, Alan Griffin, announced today.
Mr Griffin said the Government had continued to show its strong commitment to the valuable
work of ex-service organisations (ESOs), particularly advocates, pension and welfare officers
who do a great job in helping Australia’s veterans, war widows, widowers, dependants and
current serving members access their entitlements.
“Many veterans look to local ESOs as a first point of contact for advice on getting government
services and benefits and it’s important for ESOs to have the tools and equipment they need to
provide that support,” Mr Griffin said.
“Today’s funding of more than $4.42 million nationally will help ESOs employ trained advocates,
pension and welfare officers and meet ongoing running costs.
“This round of grants builds on the $2.24 million in grants for capital equipment I announced last
month which helped ESOs purchase equipment and resources such as printers, computers and
internet access and met an election commitment to provide additional capital funds for ESOs.
“I am pleased more than 480 ESOs have benefited from more than $6.66 million in BEST
funding nationally in 2008.
“In addition to funding through BEST, this year around 3000 people have been trained through
my Department’s Training and Information Program (TIP). While BEST funds people and
equipment, TIP trains the people who support veterans.”
Mr Griffin said advocates, pension and welfare officers make a real difference to the quality of
claims received by his Department.
“My Department received more than 49,000 income support and compensation claims last
financial year. By funding, equipping and training advocates, pension and welfare officers, the
claims process can operate as efficiently as possible, delivering veterans their rightful
entitlements sooner,” Mr Griffin said.
Mr Griffin encouraged all ESOs and community organisations interested in applying for funding
to support projects for veterans to contact the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, phone 133 254
(metro callers) or 1800 555 254 (non-metro callers), or visit www.dva.gov.au.
Media inquiries: Laura Ryan 0437 863 109
Editors note: A list of grant recipients is attached.
To receive the Minister’s media releases automatically by email please go to minister.dva.gov.au/subscribe.htm
Building Excellence in Support and Training NSW Recipients
The Coffs Harbour Legacy Welfare Fund will receive $57,880 to help employ a part-time
welfare officer, a part-time administrative assistant, cover travel expenses and ongoing
consumable costs.
Sydney Legacy will receive $134,774 to help employ a full-time advocate, a full-time and
part-time administrative assistant.
The NSW Branch of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association of Australia National Council will
receive $130,300 to help employ an advocate and administrative assistant, cover travel
expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
Armidale RSL Sub-branch will receive $38,240 to help employ a part-time pension officer, a
part-time welfare officer and to help cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
The Windsor RSL Sub-branch will receive $1800 to help fund ongoing consumable costs
such as stationary and office supplies.
The Queanbeyan RSL Sub-branch will receive $1400 to help fund ongoing consumable
costs such as stationary and office supplies.
The City of Albury RSL Sub-branch will receive $2071 to help fund ongoing consumable
costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Avalon Beach RSL Sub-branch will receive $1325 to help fund ongoing consumable costs
such as stationary and office supplies.
The Ballina Sub-section of the Naval Association of Australia will receive $700 to help fund
ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Bangalow RSL Sub-branch will receive $500 to help fund ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
Bowraville RSL Sub-branch will receive $815 to help fund ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
Brunswick Heads-Billinudgel RSL Sub-branch will receive $3280 to help cover travel
expenses and ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Dungog RSL Sub-branch will receive $4982 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing
consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Far North Coast Legacy will receive $26,035 to help employ a part-time welfare officer,
cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
The NSW RSL Welfare and Benevolent Institution will receive $258,000 to help employ two
full-time and two part-time pension and welfare officers, a full-time advocate, full-time
administrative assistant, cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
Forster Tuncurry RSL Sub-branch will receive $800 to help cover travel expenses and
ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Huskisson RSL Sub-branch will receive $7623 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing
consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Kyolge RSL Sub-branch will receive $8358 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing
consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Maclean RSL Sub-branch will receive $500 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
The Manning Valley Great Lakes Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Social and Welfare
Club will receive $1460 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
North Sydney RSL Sub-branch will receive $1610 to help employ an administrative
assistant, cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
Ourimbah Lisarow RSL Sub-branch will receive $500 to help cover ongoing consumable
costs such as stationary and office supplies.
32 JRTE Association will receive $655 to help cover consumable costs such as stationary
and office supplies.
The NSW Division of the Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association
will receive $1620 to help fund ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office
supplies.
Alstonville RSL Sub-branch will receive $6000 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing
consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Ballina RSL Sub-branch will receive $11,172 to help employ a part-time administrative
assistant and cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
Boolaroo-Speers Point RSL Sub-branch will receive $1180 to help cover ongoing
consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Botany RSL Sub-branch will receive $362 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
Cessnock RSL Sub-branch will receive $500 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
Chatsworth-Iluka RSL Sub-branch will receive $279 to help cover ongoing consumable costs
such as stationary and office supplies.
Clarence Valley Vietnam Veterans’ Association will receive $400 to help cover ongoing
consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Corrimal RSL Sub-branch will receive $625 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
Cowra RSL Sub-branch will receive $294 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
East Maitland RSL Sub-branch will receive $2370 to help cover travel expenses and
ongoing consumable costs.
The Brisbane Waters Branch of the National Malaya and Borneo Veterans’ Association of
Australia will receive $903 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs
such as stationary and office supplies.
The Extremely Disabled War Veterans’ Association of Newcastle and Hunter Region will
receive $1960 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office
supplies.
The Far South Coast Ex-pensions Support Centre will receive $800 to help cover travel
expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
The Gosford City Sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association of Australia will receive
$8000 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and
office supplies.
Goulburn RSL Sub-branch will receive $1146 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
The Legacy Club of Grafton will receive $9962 to help employ a part-time administrative
assistant and cover ongoing consumable costs.
The Hastings Manning Macleay Vietnam Veterans’ Association will receive $8000 to help
cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
The Integrated Servicepeoples Association of Australia will receive $12,314 to help employ
two part-time administrative assistant and fund ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
The Illawarra Veterans’ Entitlement Service will receive $28,957 to help employ two part-
time administrative assistants, run an outreach program and cover travel expenses and
ongoing consumable costs.
The City of Lismore RSL Sub-branch will receive $2360 to help cover travel expenses and
ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Maitland RSL Sub-branch will receive $1620 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
Merewether RSL Sub-branch will receive $650 to help cover ongoing consumable costs
such as stationary and office supplies.
Moree RSL Sub-branch will receive $700 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
Murwillumbah RSL Sub-branch will receive $333 to help cover travel expenses.
The Newcastle Branch of the National Service and Combined Forces Association of
Australia will receive $500 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and
office supplies.
The National Council of the Naval Association of Australia will receive $700 to help cover
ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Nelson Bay RSL Sub-branch will receive $3770 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing
consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Newcastle and Hunter Region Vietnam Veterans’ will receive $9017 to help cover travel
expenses and ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Newcastle Legacy will receive $23,140 to help employ a part-time administrative assistant
and cover ongoing consumable costs.
Penshurst RSL Sub-branch will receive $461 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
Port Stephens Legacy will receive $1170 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
The NSW Branch of the Partners of Veterans’ Association of Australia will receive $3521 to
help cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office
supplies.
The Riverina Sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans’ Peacekeepers and Peacemakers
Association of Australia will receive $284 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
Rooty Hill Sub-section of the Naval Association of Australia will receive $1100 to help cover
ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
The Shortland RSL Sub-branch will receive $1380 to help cover ongoing consumable costs
such as stationary and office supplies.
Stuart’s Point RSL Sub-branch will receive $1202 to help cover ongoing consumable costs
such as stationary and office supplies.
The Sutherland Sub-section of the Naval Association of Australia will receive $1000 to help
cover ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Tamworth RSL Sub-branch will receive $39,860 to help employ part-time and casual
administrative assistants, cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
Toronto RSL Sub-branch will receive $3130 to help purchase internet access and cover
ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Toukley RSL Sub-branch will receive $800 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
The Totally and Permanently Disabled Soldiers Association of Australia will receive $7400 to
help cover ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
The Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Veterans’ Association of NSW will receive
$10,000 to help cover travel expenses.
The Far North Coast Sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association of Australia will
receive $27,200 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing consumable costs such as
stationary and office supplies.
The NSW Branch of the Vietnam Veterans’ Peacekeepers and Peacemakers Association of
Australia will receive $283,000 to help employ three full-time and one part-time advocates, a
full-time administrative assistant, run an outreach program and cover ongoing consumable
costs.
The Wentworth and Coomealla Districts Sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans’ Peacekeepers
and Peacemakers Association of Australia will receive $5620 to help cover travel expenses
and ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Wallsend RSL Sub-branch will receive $1129 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
Wingham RSL Sub-branch will receive $500 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
Woolgoolga RSL Sub-branch will receive $3384 to help cover travel expenses and ongoing
consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Woy Woy Ettalong Hardys Bay RSL Sub-branch will receive $7785 to help employ a part-
time administrative assistant and cover travel expenses.
Ashfield RSL Sub-branch will receive $12,600 to help employ a part-time advocate and
cover ongoing consumable costs such as office supplies.
Taree Vietnam Veterans’ Association of Australia will receive $767 to help purchase a
photocopier, internet access and cover ongoing consumable costs.
Moruya RSL Sub-branch will receive $2299 to help purchase internet access and cover
ongoing consumable costs.
Mittagong RSL Sub-branch will receive $2678 to help purchase internet access, cover travel
expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
Medowie RSL Sub-branch will receive $569 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such
as stationary and office supplies.
The Illawarra Sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association of Australia will receive
$4550 to help cover ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Dorrigo RSL Sub-branch will receive $1447 to help purchase internet access, cover travel
expenses and ongoing consumable costs.
Coffs Harbour RSL Sub-branch will receive $3500 to help cover travel expenses and
ongoing consumable costs such as stationary and office supplies.
Cardiff RSL Sub-branch will receive $1239 to help purchase internet access, two memory
sticks, cover travel expenses and consumable costs.
The NSW Branch of the Australian Peacekeepers and Peacemakers Veterans’ Association
will receive $51,637 to help employ a full-time pension officer.
NEWS 
