Warragul RSL representatives have sent a clear message to local politicians they want veterans' welfare services protected.

Findings of the Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide, veterans' welfare and funding support for the Department of Veterans Affairs were issues on the table at a forum in Warragul last week.
RSL members declared the system was "broken" with a backlog of veterans' DVA claims and high rates of suicide a major concern.
Local veterans presented hard hitting, personal accounts of the need for ongoing support in light of proposed cuts to DVA by federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton.
The forum was attended by Liberal candidate for Monash Mary Aldred, retired army captain and Liberal federal Member for Menzies Keith Wolahan, and Member for Narracan Wayne Farnham.
RSL state executive member and Inverloch RSL member Lindsay Guerin initiated the meeting after consultation with fellow state executive member and Warragul RSL acting president Lynn Mizen.
Former Warragul RSL president and Afghanistan veteran Bill Westhead spoke on behalf of veterans as a key advocate for veteran welfare.
Mr Westhead presented a comprehensive presentation about the Royal Commission findings into veteran suicide and DVA performance.
Some of the key discussion points included:
Suicide and suicide risk, is a health problem that continues to occur for veterans and service personnel;
Whilst serving, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is responsible for veteran health with DVA. The RSL and any other ex-service organisation (ESO) is not the first port of call or manager for Veteran health, that is the role of DVA;
The RSL, and all ex-service organisations, must step forward wherever possible to ensure the recommendations were achieved;
When a service person leaves the ADF they must be transitioned effectively to enable them to fulfil their potential in the community;
The Royal Commission's final report provided a holistic template for all veteran centric operations, and all recommendations needed to be implemented to mitigate defence personnel and veteran suicide;
RSL members made it clear requirements from the Royal Commission were unfunded, unstaffed and beyond the capability of DVA to deliver which needed to be rectified.
There was recognition that implementation of the Royal Commission's recommendations would be expensive but there were potential savings, particularly in streamlining and making the claims process more efficient.
RSL policy development and research director James Weston provided examples of veterans significantly impacted by the current state of claims, and the lack of support and assistance from DVA.
Ms Aldred said over the past 18 months she had regularly engaged with local RSL sub-branches and ex-service organisations and had initiated several roundtable discussions across the electorate with veterans to hear their concerns and experiences.
"One of the issues raised was around frontline services, and it was an important opportunity to assure them that no frontline services will be cut. I want our local veterans to know that I will always be in their corner.
"Our veterans fought for our country and I will fight for them," she said.
Ms Aldred said growth of the Commonwealth public service was out of control under the Labor government, increasing 20 per cent (36,000 public servants) in three years.
"The Coalition has consistently said that we will guarantee the essential frontline services that Australians rely on, including for veterans and their families," Ms Aldred said.
Given DVA was a federal department, Mr Farnham asked what could be done at a state level. RSL members said assistance with veteran transition was important, particularly training and employment incentive programs to encourage businesses to employ veterans.