The Oasis Townsville, the founding model for what is now the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs
Network, has announced it will close at the end of this year unless urgent operational funding is
secured. Demand continues to grow rapidly, but resources can no longer keep pace.
Established from the insights of Operation COMPASS (Department of Health National Suicide Prevention Trial for Veterans and Families) and validated by the Royal Commission into
Defence and Veteran Suicide, The Oasis Townsville has supported thousands of veterans and
families to “find a friend, find a job, and find their future.” It has become a trusted, community
based gateway for navigating the complex transition from military to civilian life—and for the many
years that follow.

All who have contributed to The Oasis are proud to have helped spark a national network of 17
hubs—endorsed by Government, shaped by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and embraced
by the veteran community. Most hubs are backed by large institutions. The Oasis Townsville is not.
It remains the only Veterans’ & Families’ Hub without a parent organisation to underwrite its
sustainability.

More than a year after the Royal Commission’s Final Report, Recommendation 86—calling for
recurrent operational funding for hubs—remains unimplemented. Government has agreed to it in
principle. But with no funding in sight, The Oasis will not survive long enough on current resources
to see it realised.

“We are proud of what we’ve built—not just a service, but a standard,” said John Caligari, Chair of
The Oasis Townsville. “But we cannot continue based on goodwill alone. If we can no longer serve
as a connector to the best supports and an enabler through complex processes for the veteran
community in Townsville, we will step aside with dignity. What is needed is a hub—not another
redundant or duplicate service further complicating the veteran support landscape.”

The Oasis has formally written to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and is appealing to all levels of
government. It is also seeking support from the Townsville philanthropic community, though the
scale of funding required—$1 million annually—is acknowledged to be difficult to achieve locally.
This awkwardness is compounded by bewilderment in the community given that the hubs’
effectiveness has been recognised by both the Royal Commission and Government over a year
ago, with an expectation that funding should have arrived by now.

This is not just about one organisation. It is about a government-endorsed model being allowed to fail in the very community that created it. It is about the cost of delay, the erosion of trust, and the risk of losing a space that has become both a lifeline for many and a blueprint for Australia.

If funding is not secured, The Oasis will begin a professional wind-up from early January, ensuring
continuity of care for current clients and a respectful transition.

“Townsville led the way. We showed what’s possible. We are proud of the legacy. But without
action, the very community that built the model will be the first to lose it.”

DVA TV: Minister for Veterans' Affairs Matt Keogh visiting The Oasis Townsville
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA2WZpqTIaY

For media enquiries please contact:
John Caligari m. 0400082813 e. john@theoasistownsville.org.au