Parliament House Canberra ACT 2602
Telephone 02 6277 7820 Facsimile 02 6273 4140
The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
VA093
Friday, 19 September 2008
US SECRETARY PEAKE TO VISIT AUSTRALIA
WILL LEAD REHABILITATION FORUM
The United States Secretary for Veterans’ Affairs, James Peake, will be a key note speaker at
an Australian Government forum discussing the future of military rehabilitation, Minister for
Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, announced today.
The Minister said Secretary Peake is a former Surgeon General of the United States Army and
a decorated Vietnam veteran. He will present an international keynote address along with a
range of speakers, at the National Colloquium on Rehabilitation, Reflecting on the Past –
Positioning for the Future, to be held in Canberra on 7 and 8 October 2008, hosted by the
Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
“I am pleased that Secretary Peake has accepted my invitation to speak at this National
Colloquium. While the US military experience in Iraq and Afghanistan is different to that of
Australian service personnel, we can learn from their rehabilitation experience,” Mr Griffin said.
Advances in medical care and body armour have contributed to a 90 per cent survival rate for
US service personnel injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, compared to 68 per cent in the Second
World War. Traumatic brain injury, musculoskeletal injury and post traumatic stress disorder
are the major disabilities being experienced by US service personnel resulting from these
conflicts.
“Changes on the battlefield drives innovation in military rehabilitation and health care. Australia
can learn from the experience of the United States in responding to a new generation of war
injuries in our endeavour to deliver best practice in rehabilitation services for our veterans and
service personnel.
“Our objective is to give those injured in service a second chance—rehabilitation to return to
active service, or if separating from the forces, transition to quality, productive and healthy
civilian life. This focus on rehabilitation is supported by health care, income support and
disability compensation,” Mr Griffin said.
The Rehabilitation Colloquium will discuss key issues in rehabilitation now and in the future. The
colloquium will also discuss and consider the use of technology in rehabilitation and improving
partnerships between government and service providers.
Media inquiries: Laura Ryan 0437 863 109
The VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a week on
1800 011 046.
To receive the Minister’s media releases automatically by email subscribe at minister.dva.gov.au/subscribe.htm
NEWS 
