Everything, or nothing. A phone with all the apps, the access, and the endless noise. Or no phone at all.
In the physical world, this is like only having two places to live. A 24/7 city, with everything available including the casinos and backstreets. Or go bush. And for Veterans, going bush digitally cuts them off from DVA, their GP, their bank, and the people who matter.
Veterans Phone is a purpose-built digital neighbourhood. Every service in it, every app, every contact, every platform, has been invited. Checked out. Vouched for.
Your bank is here. DVA is here. Your GP's patient portal. The services that exist because of you, not to profit from you.
What's not here: the casino. The algorithm that learns your triggers. The stranger who got your number from somewhere. The operator who bought your data and calls it marketing.
Many receive significant lump sum compensation payments, up to $580,000 tax-free under the MRCA. That is concentrated, identifiable wealth. Scammers know this. Predatory operators know this. Gambling platforms know this.
At the same time, the conditions that come with service make veterans disproportionately exposed. PTSD affects threat detection and decision-making. Social isolation removes the informal check of someone saying "that looks dodgy." Institutional trust, trained into every serving member, makes impersonation of DVA or government services particularly effective. And shame means most veterans will not report it when it happens.
On gambling: veterans experience problem gambling at 13.4%, compared to 7.9% in the general population. Among veterans in PTSD treatment, that rises to one in four. The digital bookmaker is in their pocket, 24 hours a day, with no closing time, no bouncer, and an algorithm designed to keep them there.
The everyday Australian is at risk online. Veterans are at greater risk, and they've earned something better.
The design of Veterans Phone follows a straightforward set of principles.
No infinite scroll. No notification badges competing for attention. No colour used to manipulate, only to guide.
The features veterans actually need. Not everything. Not nothing. The right things, working reliably.
Every piece of information, every contact, every service, clearly identified and verified. If it's here, it is trusted.
Larger text. Simpler navigation. Designed with older eyes and busier minds as the starting point, not an afterthought.
If Veterans Phone works here, it works anywhere.
The veteran community here is tight-knit. The organisations that serve them know each other. The geography means digital access is not optional. For many veterans in regional and rural Tasmania, the phone is the primary link to DVA, to health services, to family.
Tasmania gives us the proof of concept, the relationships, and the community trust needed to take it further. We're already in conversation with key organisations. The interest is real. What's needed now is the coalition to build it properly.
We're looking for organisations and individuals who understand the problem and want to be part of building the solution. That includes community organisations, researchers, advocates, and people who work with veterans every day.
If that's you, we'd like to talk.
Get in touch