This blog post forms part of a series in which I document the history of partner employment advocacy and support in Australia
The Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Awards formed part of the VEP and were launched in September 2017. The inaugural awards took place in March 2018. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Darren Chester, said that the “awards recognise organisations that employ or support veterans and spouses of serving ADF members, as well as the significant contributions being made by veterans in the workplaces around Australia”. However, like the vast majority of communications about this program, the Prime Minister’s speech at the awards focused exclusively on veterans. Despite partner employment forming part of the VEP IAC’s mandate, partners were not mentioned once in the PM’s speech.
The majority of the award categories focused on veterans:
- Veteran Employee of the Year
- Outstanding Contribution by an Individual to Veterans’ Employment
- Leadership in Recruitment of Veterans
- Veterans’ Employer of the Year – large business
- Veterans’ Employer of the Year – small to medium sized business
- Veterans’ Employer of the Year – public sector organisations
- Excellence in Supporting Veterans’ Employment
- Outstanding Contribution by an Organisation to Veterans’ Employment
There was however one award related to partner employment – an award recognising Excellence in Supporting Spouse Employment (which in 2018 was awarded to the Westpac Group).
The following year a new category was introduced for, you guessed it, veterans. The 2019 awards featured a category for Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year. Rather than “Leadership in Recruitment of Veterans” there was an award for “Outstanding Veterans’ Employer of the Year”. No additional partner categories were added. The awards took the same format in 2020 and 2021.
In 2021 there were multiple lines of effort (including mine) to enhance recognition of partners in the awards. The most notable (and arguably influential) was that of the Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner. Discussions took place (which I was not privy to so cannot report on) about the inclusion of additional awards. On request, I submitted a “business case” for more partner awards to the VEP team within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In 2022, two new awards were added to the program: Partner Employee of the Year and Partner Entrepreneur of the Year. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, Andrew Gee, said the awards were expanded to further recognise partners of current and former Australian Defence Force personnel
“It’s not easy being the partner of a Defence member or veteran, and they often face their own unique employment challenges”.
The names of many of the other awards were updated enabling recognition of employers who support partner employment. Awards previously for “Veteran Employer of the Year” were renamed “Employer of the Year”. Minister Gee said “It is also significant that this year we will further recognise those businesses and organisations that not only embrace veterans, but also show commitment and flexibility to supporting the partners of veterans and serving members”.
By the time the 2022 finalists were announced a change of government had taken place. The new Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said “I am also so pleased that there’s some new categories in these awards – ‘partner employee’ and ‘partner entrepreneur’. It is very hard to find a good ongoing job or further your own career as a Defence spouse or family member if you are having to relocate regularly. We need to work with business so they can better understand that even if this person is only going to be employed for a short time, they are going to provide huge value to business”
Labour Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s awards speech included acknowledgement of the contribution of partners, and the impact of defence life on their employment:
“And this year, I’m delighted that, for the first time, these awards will honour the partners of veterans too. They are there, standing in solidarity during the years of service, through the upheaval of transition, and beyond. They are the strength that sustains. They make enormous personal sacrifices that shape family life and work life – moving across the country and overseas, supporting families and running households solo when their loved one is deployed. For partners, this can have an impact on their careers, and their wellbeing. Too often, we don’t recognise their sacrifice. But we should. Because ‘they also serve’. The inaugural Awards for Partner Employee and Partner Entrepreneur are an important celebration of their achievements.”
The inaugural ‘Partner Employee of the Year’ recipient was Katie Vidal, and the inaugural ‘Partner Entrepreneur of the Year’ was Kelly Willmott.
You can read quotes attributable to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Veterans Affairs at the 2022 awards here.
Minister Keogh also spoke of partners in parliament on 29 November 2022, saying that “Veterans’ families bring not only their professionalism, planning and management skills to the workforce but they also bring their ability to work autonomously and in highly variable environments. They are all critical skills in the modern economy, all in demand by employers today”.
The partner employee and partner entrepreneur categories have featured in the 2023, 2024 and in the upcoming 2025 awards. However, in 2025, the veteran entrepreneur and partner entrepreneur categories have been combined.
You can read about all the categories, finalists and winners on the Veteran Employment Program website
P.S I was very honoured to receive the award for Outstanding Contribution to Veteran and/or Partner Employment in 2022. This award was not open for nominations, and I was taken completely by surprise when my name was announced. I took the opportunity on the stage to acknowledge the work done by those before me, and to challenge the audience to move the needle on partner employment.
