Mr GREG WARREN (Campbelltown) (12:00): My question is addressed to the Minister for Veterans. Will the Minister please update the House on the Minns Labor Government's enduring commitment to honour the legacy of our State's veterans?
The SPEAKER: I call the member for Tamworth to order for the first time.
Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong—Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, Minister for Gaming and Racing, Minister for Veterans, Minister for Medical Research, and Minister for the Central Coast) (12:01): I thank the member for Campbelltown for his question and for his continued support to honour the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families. I know he holds this subject very dear. The Minns Labor Government is committed to continuing to honour the enduring legacy of veterans across our State. The best way to support our veterans and their families and to honour their legacy is to listen and understand the issues they face and to partner with the Commonwealth to address the identified needs. Our Government is particularly committed to providing this support in rural and regional New South Wales.
Census data from 2021 shows that 60 per cent of our State's veterans live in rural and regional areas. This is why our defence community forums are crucial for regional areas. Since forming government, we have held veteran forums in Nowra, in the electorate of the member for South Coast, and on the Central Coast, which has the largest number of veterans in any local government area in the State. We listen to what matters most for veterans and will continue to do this work. I am pleased to advise that we will host another veterans' forum in October in the electorate of the member for Orange. This will allow us to hear from veteran groups from across the Central West. It will be an opportunity for those veterans and serving members and their families to learn about the services and supports that are available for veterans and their families in New South Wales.
We have committed to hosting annual veterans' forums as part of the updated Veterans Strategy that I launched earlier this year. Our strategy articulates the New South Wales Government's objective to support veterans and their families and includes actions that respond directly to recommendations of the royal commission. The NSW Veterans Strategy 2025-2030 is framed around the four key themes of recognition and commemoration, employment and training, advocacy and community engagement, and support for veterans and their families. The veterans' forums bring together groups including New South Wales government agencies, the Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs, RSL NSW and RSL LifeCare to educate veterans and their families about the services that are available, including pathways to employment and training. [Extension of time]
Another key initiative of the Veterans Strategy involves rolling out Veterans' and Families' Hubs in partnership with the Commonwealth. Currently, RSL LifeCare operates five hubs that provide wellbeing services, support and opportunities for veterans and their families. More will be announced soon. The hubs are a joint project between RSL LifeCare and the Federal Government. I look forward to continuing to work with my Federal counterparts to identify sites and support new hubs such as the Richmond Courthouse site in the electorate of the shadow Minister, which received development approval and is under construction. We are not done yet. Recently, I approved changes to the Anzac Community Grants Program to improve the ways in which the New South Wales Government supports communities to celebrate our veterans. The Veterans Community Grants Program has been renamed and refreshed with greater focus on assisting projects that support recognition of the veteran community.
Organisations can apply for grants of up to $3,000 for projects that commemorate and educate local communities about the service and sacrifice of our veterans. Funding is available across four categories: local community historical research and education, preservation or display of war memorabilia, public commemorative events, and projects that support the New South Wales veteran community. Last year, we funded more than 90 local projects. I encourage local communities to apply for a grant. I also encourage all members of this place to tell the not-for-profit veterans' organisations, local government authorities, ex-service organisations and educational institutions in their electorates to apply for a grant.
Our Government has continued to implement a range of measures to honour our veterans. This includes a modernisation of the governance of the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park. We recently introduced the Anzac Memorial Bill 2025. We are building an important veterans' memorial in The Domain, and we will continue to work very hard as a government to support the veteran community.
