Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

If you've wondered about the power of music and music therapy to heal, you would have had no doubts after hearing veterans playing at Guitars for Vets' end-of-year performance at Windsor RSL. Guitars for Vets is delivered by Noro, who received federal funding through the Department of Veterans' Affairs to run workshops, and some of the groups are now being funded through their local RSLs. Participants and their families tell me that the program has saved their lives.

The weekly meeting is a highlight for many—a session where you play and sing with people you may not have known before but are now bonded to. The eclectic music choices, from 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again' to 'Sweet Caroline', tell me there are some big discussions had about music genre.

Australia's cultural policy, Revive, recognises that taking part in the arts strengthens social cohesion, connectedness and wellbeing. It helps break down social stigma and offers a means of creative expression. In both clinical and non-clinical settings, Revive backs the role of the arts in improving health outcomes, including in mental health. What's more, we saw the musicians from the Windsor, Penrith, Castle Hill and St Marys groups create joy, and we know that, for musicians, the act of playing can ground, soothe and remind us that we are not alone.

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