Soldier On is proud to welcome His Honour Professor the Honourable Hugh Heggie AO PSM, Administrator of the Northern Territory, as our official NT Patron, appointed on 6 June 2025. A figure whose life has been shaped by five decades of medical and humanitarian service, he brings with him not just professional expertise, but a deeply personal understanding of what it means to serve – in community, in silence, in sacrifice, and in strength.
Across the Northern Territory, His Honour has earned admiration as a calm, steadfast leader – most notably as the Territory’s Chief Health Officer and Executive Director of Public Health and Clinical Excellence. But his influence extends beyond office titles. His Honour has stood at the frontline of national and international humanitarian efforts and holds honorary Defence appointments across both Army and Air Force – honours that reflect a lifetime spent standing beside those who serve.
His connection to the Defence community is not ceremonial. It is rooted in memory, lived experience, and shared purpose. From taking on the challenging steps of the Kokoda Track to walking beside veterans during the March On Challenge, His Honour’s involvement is deeply felt, quietly offered, and wholly authentic.
‘It is an honour to serve as Patron for Soldier On in the Northern Territory and was a privilege to be asked because of the organisation’s commitment to supporting those who have served – and continue to serve – our country in the Australian Defence Force and related services.
‘My interest goes back to World War II where my father served with the RAAF as an aircraft mechanic in Libya and Egypt and my mother as an army ambulance officer.’
In many ways, His Honour is the right Patron for the right moment – bringing wisdom shaped by decades of service, a heart anchored in community, and a vision for a stronger, more connected future for veterans and their families in the Territory.
Standing strong in the Top End
With more than 10,000 current and former ADF personnel and their families calling the Northern Territory home, Soldier On’s presence here is more than important – it is essential. The Territory houses over 5,400 serving Defence members and is the focus of more than $7.3 billion in Defence investment.
But for many, this land is not just a place of service, it’s where the hard work of transitioning into civilian life begins. Behind the statistics are real stories: of families facing isolation, of children adapting to new schools, of veterans quietly navigating the challenges of post-service life.
Disrupted schooling, short-notice relocations, and limited access to support can leave individuals feeling adrift. In Darwin, Soldier On offers a bridge. A local response to the uniquely Northern challenges of military life and its aftermath.
Through health and wellbeing support, employment, education and learning and participation and social connection, Soldier On helps veterans and families find their footing, and their future.
‘I believe strongly in the importance of standing beside our veterans and their families. The Northern Territory has a long and proud Defence history and has a large vibrant veteran community, and I embraced the opportunity to contribute in a way that would support their wellbeing, dignity, and transition,’ he says.
His experience working at the helm of Territory-wide health responses gives him a unique lens into what real, lasting support looks like. His voice brings weight to the issues that matter most to veterans and their families.
A lifetime of leadership
His Honour’s life reflects many of the values that sit at the heart of Soldier On’s mission: trusted, professional, positive,
resilient, and united. Born in Melbourne as the eldest of six, he began leading early – shaped by the quiet strength of a family that instilled in him the values of resilience and gentleness. He began his career in pharmacy and medical research before turning to medicine, where he served as a rural GP for 20 years before moving to the Northern Territory in 2001 with his family. Since then, he has stood in moments of crisis and calm alike, guiding the Territory through health challenges and shaping systems that serve with dignity. His outstanding contributions were formally recognised with the Public Service Medal in 2021 and his appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2024.
Today, as the 23rd Administrator of the Northern Territory, His Honour represents the Crown and lends his voice to more
than 50 community organisations. His commitment to Soldier On adds both gravity and grace to our work.
‘I aim to better understand and engage with the challenges veterans face – and to recognise their strengths and contributions as an advocate encouraging inclusion, recognising service, and supporting programs that rebuild lives with purpose and pride,’ he says.
What service means – and what comes next
‘To me, “service” is a selfless commitment to others – often undertaken with strong leadership, quiet strength, commitment and a sense of duty, regardless of personal recognition.’
Darwin’s role in Australia’s national security is clear, but so too is its moral responsibility to care for those who serve. And in His Honour’s view, that responsibility must be carried with courage and conscience.
‘Reconciliation remains one of our greatest national imperatives and we have the opportunity – and the obligation – to lead by example,’ he says. ‘By embracing First Nations knowledge, supporting self-determination, and confronting history with honesty, we can shape a more just and unified future.
‘I see the partnerships between Defence and community, between cultures, between those who serve and those who support. Soldier On is an important part of that journey and as Patron, I am committed to walking that path with them.’
At Soldier On, we know that community is the cornerstone of healing. With His Honour by our side, we are reminded that collective care builds individual resilience, that advocacy must be informed by lived reality, and that leadership, at its best, is guided by service and grounded in care. We look forward to working together to support veterans and their families across the region.
