Level 4, 151 Pirie Street, Adelaide
Contact phone number: +61 8 8463 7140
Contact email: [email protected]
ISSN: 2982-2475
Date presented to Minister: 30 September 2025
To: Hon. Joe Szakacs MP, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
This annual report will be presented to Parliament to meet the statutory reporting requirements of the Public Sector Act 2009 and Public Finance and Audit Act 1987 and the requirements of Premier and Cabinet Circular PC013 Annual Reporting.
This report is verified to be accurate for the purposes of annual reporting to the Parliament of South Australia.
Submitted on behalf of Veterans SA by:
- Bianca Wheeler, Director, Veterans SA
- Matt Opie, Chief Executive, Defence SA
30 September 2025
From the Director
I have now been with Veterans SA for over a year and remain genuinely thrilled to be leading a portfolio dedicated to empowering community, promoting inclusion, and honouring the service of South Australian veterans. Over the past year, we’ve built a team who are committed to supporting veterans and their families to thrive in South Australia.
This year, we broadened our focus to more deliberately include partners and adult children of veterans. We know the impact of military life extends to the whole family, and that the support of loved ones is critical to those who serve.
Proudly, South Australia remains the first – and only – state or territory in Australia to recognise this through the establishment of Veterans’ Families Day on 15 May each year. This year marked our second celebration of this important day, and we look forward to growing its reach and recognition each year.
Our South Australian Veterans Employer Network (SAVEN) and Career and Business Mentoring Program continue to grow, offering real opportunities for veterans and their families to build skills, gain confidence and thrive in the civilian workforce. We’re proud to champion the work of our SAVEN members, who are creating meaningful connections and employment pathways helping to strengthen our veteran community.
Bianca Wheeler
Director
Veterans SA
Contents
Veterans SA leading the way in Australia
Legislation administered by Veterans SA
Advocating across federal, state and local governments
Employment opportunity programs
Agency performance management and development systems
Work health, safety and return to work programs
Executive employment in the agency
Financial performance at a glance
Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
Reporting required under any other act or regulation
Reporting required under the Carers’ Recognition Act 2005
Number of public complaints reported
Overview: about the agency
Veterans SA leading the way in Australia
In 2008, the South Australian government was the first to recognise the importance of a state-based Veterans’ Affairs portfolio. Veterans SA was established as an agency to work across government to influence policy and provide a whole-of-government approach to matters of importance to veterans and their families.
Since that time Veterans SA has led the way in recognising and celebrating the important contribution veterans and their families make to the community and the economy of South Australia.
Veterans SA’s vision is for a strong, vibrant, well supported and represented veteran community, inclusive of all generations, that is understood and appropriately acknowledged by all South Australians.
Through strategic research, development and support of programs that work, and support of other community organisations providing services to veteran families, Veterans SA has been instrumental in working to achieve that vision, and position South Australia as a place where veterans and their families can thrive.
South Australia was also the first, and remains the only, state to recognise the importance of veterans’ families through the introduction of Veterans’ Families Day. 15 May is set aside each year to celebrate families and honour the support they give to veterans to enable them to serve our nation.
This year saw Veterans SA work with organisations to provide events and concessions to veterans and their families. The Metropolitan Fire Service were also supportive with a fire truck branded to celebrate veterans and their families.
Veterans SA also works to ensure that military history is remembered and preserved, and that the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families is recognised and appropriately commemorated. In 2024-25 Veterans SA provided a record $328,000 in grants to more than 40 community organisations from the Anzac Day Commemoration Fund and the 80th Anniversary of the End of WWII Fund.
Our strategic focus
| Our Purpose | Veterans SA works with state, national and community partners to support those currently serving and previously serving members of the Australian Defence Force and their families, including reservists, to live meaningful, fulfilling lives in South Australia. The agency also plays a role in sharing information on services and programs across South Australia that are available to those who have served and their families. |
| Our Vision | A strong, vibrant and well supported and represented veteran community, inclusive of all generations, that is understood and appropriately acknowledged by all South Australians. |
| Our Values | To uphold the provisions contained in South Australia’s Charter for Veterans by ensuring that the needs of veterans, government and the wider South Australian community are served through the provision of advice and expertise on veterans’ affairs and by influencing government decision making to ensure that the veteran community is well represented in South Australia. |
| Our functions, objectives and deliverables | · To influence government decision-making at both the state and federal level for future policy development with respect to the relevance and delivery of services to the veteran community.
· To be first with advice and expertise on veterans’ affairs to government and to position government to provide relevant high-level services. · To support the sustainability of the veteran community. · To support the veteran community in delivering commemorative events that continue to reflect the significant impact of the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families to the nation, and to ensure that military historical significance is remembered and preserved. |
Our organisational structure
Changes to Veterans SA
On 15 July 2024, Bianca Wheeler commenced as the Director Veterans SA, replacing Rebecca Van Reesema who acted in the position from 11 May 2024 – 14 July 2024.
Our Minister
The Hon. Joe Szakacs MP is the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.
Minister Szakacs also oversees the Trade and Investment, Industry, Innovation and Science and Local Government portfolios and is the Member for Cheltenham.
Our Executive team
Bianca Wheeler, Director
Bianca Wheeler is responsible for ensuring that the interests and needs of the community of current and former serving members of the Australian Defence Force and their families are represented across the South Australian Government.
Legislation administered by Veterans SA
Veterans SA administers the ANZAC Day Commemoration Act 2005
The agency’s performance
Performance at a glance
2024-25 has seen Veterans SA achieve significant outcomes in ensuring programs are tailored to the needs of veterans and their families. Veterans SA worked closely with organisations providing support, programs and services to ensure more veterans have access to the assistance they need to thrive.
- Extended eligibility for Veterans SA programs to include partners and adult children.
- Grew the SA Veteran Employer Network to include over 50 businesses with a genuine commitment to providing employment pathways and programs for veterans and their partners.
- Doubled attendance at the Cowork Coplay program for partners of veterans.
- Provided a regional outreach program in towns across the Upper Spencer Gulf.
- Continued to support the Port Adelaide Football Club’s Australian Defence Force Veterans’ Program to support the continuation and expansion of the program over the next four years.
- Continued to grow the Career and Business and Mentoring program to include 28 mentoring partnerships in 2025.
- Commissioned research into the needs of veterans and their families.
- Doubled the funding for veterans to access study through the Tertiary Scholarship Fund.
Honouring service
- Delivered 40 grants totalling $328,000 through the Anzac Day Commemoration Fund and the 80th Anniversary of the End of WWII Commemoration Fund to support memorial, commemoration and education projects across South Australia.
- Delivered 12 grants totalling $9,886 to South Australian organisations to support the delivery of commemorative services under the Veterans SA Commemorative Services Grant Fund.
- Delivered three grants totalling $10,189 to support increased capacity and capability of South Australian ex-service organisations through the Veterans SA Capacity Building Grant Fund.
Advocating across federal, state and local governments
2024-25 has been a significant year for veteran entities across Australia following the release of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Final Report.
The Report, tabled in September 2024, spans seven volumes and more than 3,000 pages, and presents 122 recommendations framed around five priority areas.
In December 2024, the Australian Government announced its response, agreeing or agreeing-in-principle to 104 recommendations, noting 17, and not supporting one in part.
While many recommendations are directed to the federal departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, a number require action and input from state and territory governments, including South Australia.
In response, the South Australian Government established an inter-agency working group, co-chaired by Veterans SA and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
The working group brings together representatives from across state agencies to scope the impacts of the Royal Commission, coordinate responsibilities, and ensure South Australia is prepared to implement the recommendations requiring state action.
This collaborative approach also keeps South Australia aligned with national reform processes led by the Commonwealth Implementation Taskforce, while ensuring the needs of the state’s veteran community remain paramount.
In addition, Veterans SA continues to work with South Australian Government departments to improve transparency and understanding of veterans’ entitlements and concessions, and to make transition to South Australia easier for families.
Veterans SA has worked to streamline processes for families to have their interstate qualifications recognised in South Australia and make school transition easier for children.
As the Secretariat for the Veterans Advisory Committee (VAC), Veterans SA enables the VAC to effectively advise the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs on issues impacting the veteran community, helping to shape government policy and initiatives.
In 2024-25, the Committee’s advocacy contributed to tangible outcomes, including the inclusion of a veteran status tick box in all South Australian public school enrolments, ensuring better identification of children from veteran families and informing targeted support.
Our objectives and outcomes
| Objectives | Indicators | Performance |
| Connect and collaborate
|
Facilitate connection and collaboration with and among the South Australian veteran and defence community and the wider South Australian community to build a strong and effective ecosystem | Partnered with key community stakeholders to provide community connection events for veterans and their families in Port Pirie, Whyalla and Port Augusta.
Provided opportunities for veterans and their families to connect with employers who provide employment pathways for veterans. Supported community organisations to provide support and services to veterans and their families. |
| Empower and equip | Empower and build capacity with the South Australian veteran and Defence community through evidence and research-informed education, programs and initiatives | Supported programs for veterans, assisting them in their transition from Defence to civilian life.
More than doubled the number of partners of veterans taking part in the Cowork Coplay program. This program provides essential support for veterans’ partners to establish community and business networks when posted to South Australia. Increased the number of members of the South Australian Veterans Employers Network to over 50. All members of the SAVEN actively seek to recruit veterans, and provide essential employment pathways for them. Commissioned research into the needs of veterans and their families in metropolitan Adelaide. |
| Educate and raise awareness | Educate the South Australian public about the value and positive impact that veterans and veteran families bring to the South Australian community | Supported and published research on the benefits veterans provide to the economy and community of South Australia.
Regularly shared success stories from the veteran community through newsletters, social media, events, and media channels. Delivered public-facing programs and initiatives that highlight veteran skills, community contributions, and workforce participation. Led in metro and regional outreach events to raise awareness of veterans’ contributions in local communities. Celebrated veterans’ achievements through awards, recognition programs, and public events such as Anzac Day commemorations or RSL-supported initiatives. Facilitated media and public engagement opportunities with veterans in business, community, and defence-related activities to increase visibility of their impact. Developed resources, reports and case studies highlighting veterans’ roles in advancing South Australia’s economic and social outcomes. Supported educational institutions and public services in incorporating veteran experiences into learning programs, career expos, and workshops. |
| Honour
Service |
Honour the service and sacrifice of service people and the experiences of the families who support them. | Supported and funded commemorative projects and events across South Australia, including Anzac Day, Remembrance Day, and community memorials.
Administered grants to ex-service organisations and community groups to preserve and promote the legacy of service and build organisational capacity. Partnered with RSLs, Legacy, and other veteran organisations to deliver programs recognising veterans and their families’ contributions. Promoted stories and sacrifices of service personnel ensuring their legacies remain visible to the community. |
Corporate performance summary
Veterans SA was established in 2008 and sits within the South Australian Government agency, Defence SA. The activities of Veterans SA are entirely funded from appropriation or other internal South Australian Government contributions.
Employment opportunity programs
| Program name | Performance |
| Nil | Nil |
Agency performance management and development systems
| Performance management and development system | Performance |
| Staff Performance Management and Development System | All non-executive staff participate in an annual performance review process linked to training and development. This involves, a half-yearly review and an annual review. By 30 June 2025, 100% of non-executive staff had completed a half-yearly and an annual review. |
| Director Performance Agreement | The Director position was filled and commenced on 15 July 2024. The Director completed two performance reviews with the Chief Executive Defence SA prior to 30 June 2025. |
Work health, safety and return to work programs
| Program name | Performance |
| First Aid | Veterans SA is co-located with Defence SA which has three qualified First Aid Officers who have completed accredited training. |
| Mental Health First Aid | Veterans SA is co-located with Defence SA which has Mental Health First Aid Officers who have completed accredited training. |
| Workplace injury claims | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | % Change (+ / -) |
| Total new workplace injury claims | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Fatalities | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Seriously injured workers* | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Significant injuries (where lost time exceeds a working week, expressed as frequency rate per 1000 FTE) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
*number of claimants assessed during the reporting period as having a whole person impairment of 30% or more under the Return to Work Act 2014 (Part 2 Division 5)
| Work health and safety regulations | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | % Change (+ / -) |
| Number of notifiable incidents (Work Health and Safety Act 2012, Part 3) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Number of provisional improvement, improvement and prohibition notices (Work Health and Safety Act 2012 Sections 90, 191 and 195) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Return to work costs** | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | % Change (+ / -) |
| Total gross workers compensation expenditure ($) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Income support payments – gross ($) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
**before third party recovery
Data for previous years is available at: Work health and safety/return to work performance 2023-24 – Dataset – data.sa.gov.au
Executive employment in the agency
| Executive classification | Number of executives |
| N/A 2024-25 | 1 |
Data for previous years is available at: Executives 2023-24 – Dataset – data.sa.gov.au
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment has a workforce information page that provides further information on the breakdown of executive gender, salary and tenure by agency.
Financial performance
Financial performance at a glance
The following is a summary of the overall financial position of Veterans SA extracted from Defence SA’s financial statements for 2023-24. The information is unaudited. Note that Veterans SA sits within Defence SA so reference can be made to the Defence SA Annual Report for 2023-24 for full data sets and data from previous years.
| Statement of Comprehensive Income | 2024-25 Budget
$000s |
2024-25 Actual
$000s |
Variation $000s |
2023-24 Actual
$000s |
| Total Income | $27 | $25 | $(2) | $25 |
| Total Expenses | $2,256 | $2,155 | $101 | $1,671 |
| Net Result | $(2,229) | $(2,130) | $99 | $(1,646) |
| Total Comprehensive Result | $(2,229) | $(2,130) | $99 | $(1,646) |
| Statement of Financial Position | 2024-25 Actual
$000s |
2023-24 Actual
$000s |
| Current assets | $22 | $127 |
| Non-current assets | – | – |
| Total assets | $22 | $127 |
| Current liabilities | 215 | $231 |
| Non-current liabilities | 35 | $31 |
| Total liabilities | 250 | $262 |
| Net assets | $(228) | $(135) |
Consultants’ disclosure
The following is a summary of external consultants that have been engaged by the agency, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for the work undertaken during the financial year.
Consultancies with a contract value below $10,000 each
| Consultancies | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
| Nil | N/A | $ Nil |
Consultancies with a contract value above $10,000 each
| Consultancies | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
| Nil | N/A | $ Nil |
| Total | $ Nil |
Data for previous years is available at: Consultants 2023-24 – Dataset – data.sa.gov.au
See also the Consolidated Financial Report of the Department of Treasury and Finance for total value of consultancy contracts across the South Australian Public Sector.
Contractors’ disclosure
The following is a summary of external contractors that have been engaged by the agency, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for work undertaken during the financial year.
Contractors with a contract value below $10,000
| Contractors | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
| All contractors below $10,000 each – combined | Various | $8,356.88 |
Contractors with a contract value above $10,000 each
| Contractors | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
| Be Sustained | Facilitation of Career & Business Mentoring Program | 50,000.00 |
| Flinders University of SA | Assessment of needs of veterans and their families | 50,0000.00 |
| Hays Specialist Recruitment | Temporary Staff | 39,265.11 |
| Repat Foundation | Workshop facilitation | 38,000.00 |
| Total | 177,265.11 | |
Data for previous years is available at: Contractors 2023-24 – Dataset – data.sa.gov.au
The details of South Australian Government-awarded contracts for goods, services, and works are displayed on the SA Tenders and Contracts website. View the agency list of contracts.
The website also provides details of across government contracts.
Other financial information
The Anzac Day Commemoration Fund was administered by Veterans SA. The fund was established under the Anzac Day Commemoration Act 2005.
| Statement of Comprehensive Income | 2023-24 Budget
$000s |
2023-24 Actual
$000s |
Variation $000s |
2022-23
Actual $000s |
| Total Income | $100 | $100 | $- | $100 |
| Total Expenses | $100 | $85 | $- | $100 |
| Net Result | $- | $15 | $- | $- |
| Total Comprehensive Result | $- | $15 | $- | $- |
| Statement of Financial Position | 2023-24 Budget
$000s |
2023-24Actual
$000s |
Variation
$000s |
2023-24
Actual $000s |
| Current assets | 97 | $110 | 20 | $97 |
| Total assets | $97 | $110 | 20 | $97 |
| Current liabilities | $- | $- | $(2) | $2 |
| Total liabilities | $- | $- | $(2) | $2 |
| Net assets | $97 | $110 | $18 | $95 |
| Equity | $97 | $110 | $18 | $95 |
Risk management
Fraud detected in the agency
| Category/nature of fraud | Number of instances |
| N/A | Nil |
NB: Fraud reported includes actual and reasonably suspected incidents of fraud.
Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
During the 2023-24 FY all staff completed the SA Public Sector Code of Ethics refresher training, Cyber Security Awareness training and Fraud and Corruption Awareness training.
Data for previous years is available at: Fraud Detection 2023-24 – Dataset – data.sa.gov.au
Public interest disclosure
Number of occasions on which public interest information has been disclosed to a responsible officer of the agency under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018:
Nil
Data for previous years is available at: Whistle-blower Disclosure 2023-24 – Dataset – data.sa.gov.au
Note: Disclosure of public interest information was previously reported under the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993 and repealed by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 on 1/7/2019.
Reporting required under any other act or regulation
Reporting required under the Carers’ Recognition Act 2005
Veterans SA is not required to report under the Carers Recognition Act 2005.
Public complaints
Number of public complaints reported
| Complaint categories | Sub-categories | Example | Number of Complaints
2024-25 |
| Professional behaviour | Staff attitude | Failure to demonstrate values such as empathy, respect, fairness, courtesy, extra mile; cultural competency | Nil |
| Professional behaviour | Staff competency | Failure to action service request; poorly informed decisions; incorrect or incomplete service provided | Nil |
| Professional behaviour | Staff knowledge | Lack of service specific knowledge; incomplete or out-of-date knowledge | Nil |
| Communication | Communication quality | Inadequate, delayed or absent communication with customer | Nil |
| Communication | Confidentiality | Customer’s confidentiality or privacy not respected; information shared incorrectly | Nil |
| Service delivery | Systems/technology | System offline; inaccessible to customer; incorrect result/information provided; poor system design | Nil |
| Service delivery | Access to services | Service difficult to find; location poor; facilities/ environment poor standard; not accessible to customers with disabilities | Nil |
| Service delivery | Process | Processing error; incorrect process used; delay in processing application; process not customer responsive | Nil |
| Policy | Policy application | Incorrect policy interpretation; incorrect policy applied; conflicting policy advice given | Nil |
| Policy | Policy content | Policy content difficult to understand; policy unreasonable or disadvantages customer | Nil |
| Service quality | Information | Incorrect, incomplete, out-dated or inadequate information; not fit for purpose |
Nil |
| Service quality | Access to information | Information difficult to understand, hard to find or difficult to use; not plain English | Nil |
| Service quality | Timeliness | Lack of staff punctuality; excessive waiting times (outside of service standard); timelines not met | Nil |
| Service quality | Safety | Maintenance; personal or family safety; duty of care not shown; poor security service/ premises; poor cleanliness | Nil |
| Service quality | Service responsiveness | Service design doesn’t meet customer needs; poor service fit with customer expectations | Nil |
| No case to answer | No case to answer | Third party; customer misunderstanding; redirected to another agency; insufficient information to investigate | Nil |
| Total | Nil |
Additional Metrics |
Total |
| Number of positive feedback comments | 0 |
| Number of negative feedback comments | 0 |
| Total number of feedback comments | 0 |
| % complaints resolved within policy timeframes | N/A |
Data for previous years is available at: Public Complaints 2023-24 – Dataset – data.sa.gov.au
| N/A |
Service Improvements
N/A
Compliance Statement
| Veterans SA is compliant with Premier and Cabinet Circular 039 – complaint management in the South Australian public sector | Y |
| Veterans SA has communicated the content of PC 039 and the agency’s related complaints policies and procedures to employees. | Y |
