A Shorten Labor Government will invest in the health and wellbeing of our veterans in the Top End by establishing the Scott Palmer Service and Veterans Support Hub.

The Scott Palmer Service and Veterans Support Hub will be a dedicated centre to provide support to our current and ex-serving defence personnel, first responders and their families.

Thousands of current and former Territory service people and their families must navigate a complex and often confusing range of services, often at a stressful time, with limited support. With this $4.9 million investment from Federal Labor, Territorians will finally have a centre that will provide services and support in health and wellbeing, access to counsellors and a place to go for assistance in accessing community, state, federal and cross-sector services.

The centre will also be a place where people can go to connect, meet and relax, with a childrens play area, recreational rooms and indoor and outdoor reflection spaces.

Federal Labor will partner with the Northern Territory Government which has committed to providing land for this hub and will continue to work with local stakeholders to support our
veterans, their families and first responders.

The hub will provide specialist support assisting former personnel deal with the impact of their deployment, separation and family integration, PTSD, stress-related issues and other health issues caused during their service.

It will also provide community outreach programs and initiatives to our veterans and their families. The hub is named after Private Scott Travis Palmer, who tragically lost his life on operational service in Afghanistan on Monday, 21 June 2010.

Scott Palmer made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and we thank his family for allowing us to attribute his name to this important centre. By naming the centre after him, we ensure that his story continues to be told and his sacrifice is never forgotten.

The Northern Territory is home to 8.2 per cent of Australias permanent Defence Force with the total community nearing 12,000 members- including their families. This hub will see a partnership between a future Shorten Labor Government, the Northern Territory Government and local ex-service organisations to deliver critical support services for our veterans in the Top End.

Todays announcement comes after thorough consultation with local veterans and ex-service organisations who have told Labor this hub is long overdue for the Northern Territory and will deliver tangible benefits to our veterans. Labor has long said if there is more we can be doing for our veterans and their families we should be doing it.