OFFICIAL
THE HON MATT KEOGH MP
Minister for VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL
MEDIA RELEASE
12 August 2026
MAJOR BOOST FOR VETERANS AS FREE ADVOCACY FUNDING DOubles
Veterans will benefit from increased access to free advocacy services, with funding for ex-service organisations (ESOs) more than doubling under a redesigned Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program.
A total of 109 ESOs will share in $50.7 million in grant funding over three years, enabling them to recruit, retain and support compensation and wellbeing advocates who assist veterans and families of veterans to access the support, treatment and DVA services they need to improve their health and wellbeing.
This will give ESOs more funding certainty and stability so they can focus on what matters most – providing support to our veteran community.
This new approach has also seen Grants awarded based on the number of compensation and wellbeing advocates the organisation has employed, and intends to employ, over the 3-year funding period, rather than the number of claims they lodge.
These changes will increase stability for ESOs who employ advocates, and in turn deliver a boost to the availability of fee-free advocacy services for veterans and families of veterans.
The redesigned 2026-27 BEST Program responds to Recommendation 99 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade's inquiry into advocacy services for veterans accessing compensation and income support.
The next round of the BEST Program will open for applications in 2029.
For more information about the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program, visit the DVA website www.dva.gov.au.
MEDIA CONTACT:
DVA Media: [email protected]