CONFERENCE

On 2–3 October 2025, VESPIIA hosted the inaugural Future Frontlines: Momentum Matters Conference and Awards at the University Club of Western Australia.

Bringing together 120 delegates — alongside 38 speakers and panellists — the conference marked a national gathering of leaders, practitioners, researchers, and advocates working across the veteran, emergency services, and police support sectors.

Program snapshot: 4 panels • 3 workshops • 4 research briefings • 4 member spotlights

Over two days, the focus was clear: strengthening the people and organisations that support those who serve.

Setting the Context: Policy and Leadership

The conference opened with addresses from the Hon Paul Papalia MLA CSC and a recorded message from the Hon Matt Keogh MP, reinforcing the importance of sustained reform and accountability following the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

Updates from Brigadier Brett Chaloner and Brigadier Damien Bushell provided strategic and operational context, while Toff Idrus outlined the implications of AUKUS for Western Australia. Jake Wilk closed the morning with a lived experience perspective on transition, grounding policy discussions in personal reality.

Families, Employment and Leadership

Session Two shifted the focus to the broader ecosystem around service.

Charlotte Webb, Defence Family Advocate, reminded delegates that capability is built on the strength of families. Two major panels followed:

• Beyond Recruitment, moderated by Carlos Fortuna, examined how organisations move beyond hiring veterans to build long-term career pathways and inclusive workplaces.
• Across the Frontlines, moderated by Steve Whickam, explored wellbeing and transition within emergency services and the role of ESOs and community partners.

The session concluded with Michael Lyddiard, who shared his lived experience of service, injury, and recovery. His message was clear: resilience is not built by one culture, one service, or one course — it is built through the combination of experiences that form a toolkit for life beyond uniform.

Research Shaping Reform

The afternoon research briefings reinforced the importance of evidence-informed practice.

• Dr Ben Farr-Wharton and Dr Fleur Sharafizad (Edith Cowan University) presented findings from their long-term work on trauma exposure and moral injury in first responders.
• Dr Henry Bowen (Military and Emergency Services Health Australia) examined the role of service culture in shaping identity, belonging, and wellbeing — and the importance of bridging the civilian–service divide.
• Amanda Tarrant (Flinders University Open Door Initiative) addressed the military–family violence nexus, highlighting the lived experiences of non-serving women.
• Dr Mathew Samuels (WA Centre for Trauma Treatment and Research) presented on group therapy approaches to PTSD, demonstrating how recovery and growth are possible when the right structures are in place.

Together, these briefings underscored that reform must be grounded in research and informed by lived experience.

Veterans, Community and the Path Forward

The final session returned to community voice and accountability.

State representatives discussed how Royal Commission recommendations are influencing local priorities. A veterans’ panel reflected on what success looks like beyond service — identifying connection, purpose, and support as central themes.

For those who have always run towards the fire, success can also mean learning when not to run into their own.

Spotlight presentations from Veterans Gaming Australia, Buddy Up, Resolute Ready, and Disaster Relief Australia showcased innovation and community-led solutions already delivering impact.

Momentum matters — and this is only the beginning.

Recap video and galleries

A short recap capturing key moments from Momentum Matters.

Supporters and media partners

Defence West • HomeFront Australia • Adysin • KSC Claims • Jones Hope Legal Advisory • Soul Medicine VAP • VFC Claims • Commonwealth Bank Australia • WA Defence Review • Australian Defence Industry Analyst