Leveraging Veteran Talent through a National Veteran Procurement Policy (VPP)

Overview

Australia’s veterans bring unmatched discipline, leadership, strategic thinking, and resilience forged through military service. With over 600,000 former ADF members, this is a workforce—and business community—rich with potential. Yet too often, that potential is underutilised. A Veteran Procurement Policy would create a pathway for veteran-owned businesses to partner with government and corporate Australia, unlocking the capability of one of Australia’s most highly trained and values-driven populations.

Veterans as Strategic Business Partners

Veterans are more than deserving beneficiaries—they are high-value business partners.

Through their service, veterans have been trained in:

• Complex project management
  
  
• Mission-oriented teamwork
  
  
• Critical decision-making under pressure
  
  
• Operational leadership
  
  
• Compliance in high-stakes environments
  
  

These are the very qualities sought by procurement teams looking for reliable, agile, and values-aligned suppliers.

Veterans are not looking for a handout. They are seeking a fair opportunity to contribute their hard-earned capabilities to national projects, industries, and services—through entrepreneurship and meaningful economic engagement.

Veterans understand Defence Industry. Having operated within Defence capability frameworks, systems, and procurement structures, veterans are uniquely positioned to deliver services and projects with mission alignment and minimal ramp-up time.

Empowering veteran-owned businesses is a return on investment. Government has already invested significantly in the training and development of ADF personnel. Supporting veterans post-service through targeted procurement is a logical and efficient way to continue extracting value from that investment.

Learning from the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP)

The Indigenous Procurement Policy, introduced in 2015, demonstrates how procurement targets can create lasting economic impact when directed at underutilised, high-potential groups.

The IPP shows that targeted procurement can stimulate entrepreneurship, create jobs, and build long-term economic capacity. Veterans—uniquely skilled and already trained to deliver under pressure—are equally ready to succeed under such a policy.

Alignment with the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has identified structural gaps in the transition from military to civilian life, including:

• Underemployment and job insecurity for transitioning veterans
  
  
• A lack of integrated, whole-of-government support for economic reintegration
  
  
• The role that meaningful employment and business ownership can play in reducing isolation, stress, and mental health risks
  
  

A veteran procurement policy is not just a commercial policy—it is a strategic mental health and wellbeing intervention.

Veterans and Indigenous Australians: A Partnership, Not a Competition

Indigenous Australians and veterans each hold unique standing in our national story:

• Indigenous Australians, as the First Peoples, deserve policy frameworks that redress historic disadvantage and recognise cultural continuity.
  
  
• Veterans, as those who have served the nation in uniform, deserve policies that honour that service and help convert military skills into civilian economic success.
  
  

These groups can and should stand alongside each other in our nation’s procurement priorities—not in competition, but in complementary recognition.

Conclusion: Unlocking Veteran Potential Through Procurement

Veterans bring more than experience—they bring precision, professionalism, and performance. A Veteran Procurement Policy would:

• Open fair and valuable economic opportunities
  
  
• Support smoother transitions into business ownership
  
  
• Reward the nation with reliable, innovative suppliers who thrive under pressure
  
  

Let’s move beyond charity or obligation. Let’s recognise that veterans are a competitive advantage waiting to be activated—through a procurement policy that aligns with their strengths and Australia’s economic future.