Dexters Policy - Hold My Coffee

Episode 2: Hold My Coffee – Dexter’s Policy

What happens when something doesn’t sit right… and you decide to do something about it?

In this episode, Natasha Hilbers shares the story behind Dexter’s Policy—an initiative sparked by a moment of clarity in 2025, after discovering that Australia’s military working dogs are not formally recognised as veterans.

That didn’t sit right.

Taking this forward, Natasha raised the issue directly in a personal meeting with the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs at the end of 2025—challenging the gap in recognition and support for these service animals who have deployed, served, and sacrificed alongside Australian personnel.

From there, the work began.

In January 2026, with feasibility, concept design, and preliminary costings in place, Dexter’s Policy was formally submitted via correspondence to the Minister—clearly outlining the intent and will for a national rollout. The proposal calls for a Purple Card system within the existing DVA framework, ensuring military working dogs are recognised as veterans and supported accordingly post-service.

The ambition is clear:

National implementation by Anzac Day 2026.

This episode unpacks why that matters.

It’s about dignity.

It’s about recognition.

It’s about honouring a silent service that has always shown up.

And at the heart of it all is a simple phrase—hold my coffee—a quiet but powerful signal that when something isn’t right, it’s time to step in and do the work to make it right.

Because this isn’t just an idea.

It’s a line in the sand.

And the hope is that by Anzac Day, the coffee won’t be cold—

it’ll be raised in recognition of a policy that finally honours those who served without a voice.

Transcript

Natasha Hilbers 0:13

Hello and welcome.

Natasha Hilbers 0:14

I'm Natasha Hilbers and this is the She Served AU podcast, Trigger Warning. This is a space where we name MST, military sexual trauma, SV, sexual violence, and DV, domestic violence. If any of these topics are triggering for you, please take time, find space, come back when you're ready, or not at all.

Natasha Hilbers 0:36

But if you do need help, please do reach out to the following organisations. The Open Arms from Department of Veteran Affairs, Lifeline, or the Amazing Anthena Project for Survivors. Their contact details are in the notes below.

Natasha Hilbers 0:52

Also, I'd like to acknowledge the traditional landowners on which I live and are recording today, the Noongar people of the Wandari Nation, and I respectfully acknowledge the traditional landowners past, present, and emerging.

Natasha Hilbers 1:10

And I'd like to offer my respects by treading softly and listening deeply.

Natasha Hilbers 1:16

S o find a comfy spot. Relax. And this is the She Served AU Podcast, and I'm Natasha Hilbers. Hello, welcome. This is She Served AU Podcast.

Natasha Hilbers 1:28

I'm Natasha Hilbers. This is episode two, Dexter's Policy.

Natasha Hilbers 1:32

What is Dexter's Policy?

Natasha Hilbers 1:34

Last year I met with the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Minister Keogue, and had a discussion, very frank discussion, about our military working dogs in Australia, and that upon discharge from service, it's a void. There's nothing there, there's no supports, and it is upon the goodwill of the handlers or the community to take on the retired military working dogs without funding. And the funding is pivotal to grants, from my understanding.

Natasha Hilbers 2:06

So where I came across this,

Natasha Hilbers 2:10

I said, hold my coffee.

Natasha Hilbers 2:12

I need to challenge this because it'd be disingenuous to be a voice for the voiceless under the she served umbrella to not look at military working dogs. So having met with the minister last year was a great step towards recognition for the military working dogs in Australia.

Natasha Hilbers 2:31

And out of that, I did the feasibility and to design the framework around what this would look like going forward. In January 2026, I submitted my concept of Dexter's policy to utilize a purple card and to have that available in a transactional purpose in the the already existing DVA ecosystem.

Natasha Hilbers 2:55

So, for example, if a military working dog retired, and again it may have injuries, these amazing creatures are exposed to so many things on deployments. So on discharge, they need medical care, they need a diet specific to their lifestyle where wear and tear that is high on their joints due to service-related injuries.

Natasha Hilbers 3:19

So I took this to the minister last year. I've presented it in a policy approach in January. I'm still waiting, and respectfully, Parliament has not long come back into session. So I sit now with this initiative, with this heartfelt approach to they served.

Natasha Hilbers 3:42

And this is a silent service that I'm really profoundly advocating for because we can't expect the community and goodwill of the handlers to take on the working dogs without support. And that support should come from DVA. They are a veteran. And for the fact that the working dogs are not null as a veteran is really confronting to me and to a number of people that I have mentioned my initiative to.

Natasha Hilbers 4:10

From the She Served AU perspective, I'm advocating for military working dogs to have a purple card, to have it available in the DVA ecosystem, to allow veterinary expenses, to allow dietary requirements, to allow the handlers to have peace of mind that these incredible veterans are going to be cared for post-service.

Natasha Hilbers 4:32

So I'm calling to the ministers listening today. How about we do our part? How about we support our most amazing service animals under Dexter's policy? I was hoping by Anzac Day 2026 that this initiative would be happening, would be available. So we shouldn't be relying on grants for military working dogs to be supported post-service. I find that a really distressing position to have around a veteran who has served, because if you have served in any service, you are a veteran, and we need to identify our military working dogs as such.

Natasha Hilbers 5:13

So I'm calling on the ministers for recognition of military working dogs to be veterans and to be cared for with a purple card through the DVA already existing ecosystem post-service.

Natasha Hilbers 5:24

So this Anzac Day, my ambition is to have Dexter's policy approved and in the community to the military working dogs to be issued a purple card and to be able to have the quality of life as a veteran that they deserve.

Natasha Hilbers 5:39

This is Natasha Hilbers of the She Served AU podcast, and thank you for listening.