Is the ADA an ex-Service organisation (ESO)?

No — See in particular the answers to the above three questions.

As noted in the answers to related questions, the ADA is instead the national public-interest watchdog organisation for current and future strategic security, defence and wider national security matters.

As a broadly drawn and community-based body the majority of our members have never served in the defence force (although many have).

We therefore generally leave comment on veterans and related issues up to the relevant specialist organisations, although we publicly support them from time to time when needed and where we can.

 

Our responsibility is defence capability matters

Where we do occasionally offer comment on veterans issues this is only in a general way, and only where they are also major matters of public importance affecting the efficiency or sustainability of our current or future national defence efforts.

As an example, fair and adequate treatment of war veterans is not just a moral responsibility and social equity issue for all Australians.

It is also a defence capability development and sustainment issue. Treating veterans properly is essential to effective recruitment, morale and personnel retention in our current and future defence force.

 

Defence is everyone's civic responsibility, not just a matter for "veterans"

Furthermore, as discussed in the answers to previous questions, the commonplace assumption that all or most war veterans are actively interested in how Australia is currently defended is not a valid assumption or a fair expectation.

Neither is the unfounded, and indeed irrational, belief that only war veterans are or need to be concerned with how Australia is defended now or in the future.

Our common defence remains a universal civic responsibility of all Australians — not just war veterans or current members of our defence force.

 

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