The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has been granted a three-month extension by the Federal Government to complete its inquiries.
Commissioners Nick Kaldas (chair), Peggy Brown and James Douglas wrote to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus in October to raise concerns the current timeframe continues to impact the ability of the Royal Commission to deliver a final report and recommendations to bring about long-lasting improvements for the wellbeing of our Defence and veteran communities.
The Royal Commission was due to present its final report and recommendations to the Governor-General by 17 June next year; however, the Commissioners stated that timeline was impacting key areas of work, including the:
- opportunity for comprehensive action on procedural fairness for all parties; and
- testing of recommendations with key stakeholders, such as the Australian Defence Force, Departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, and Defence and veterans’ bodies, including ex-service organisations, to ensure the Royal Commission delivers implementable recommendations to Government.
The Royal Commission has previously expressed frustration at the slow response from Commonwealth agencies to requests for information, as well as claims of confidentiality, parliamentary privilege and public interest immunity.
Commissioner Kaldas has today welcomed the Government’s decision.
“Regrettably, the latest AIHW data released last month confirms there has been no improvement in the high rates of suicide in our Defence and veteran community,” Commissioner Kaldas said.
“This Royal Commission must be a call to action. We, as a nation, can no longer allow the preventable deaths of our serving and ex-serving Defence personnel to continue.”
“This short, three-month extension will help to ensure our final report is robust, evidence-based and fair to all parties, and contains recommendations that are realistic, fit-for-purpose and implementable – to ensure Government is well equipped to address what is a national crisis once and for all,” he said.
The Royal Commission’s final report must now be delivered by Monday 9 September 2024.
Meanwhile, the Royal Commission is moving quickly to appoint a number of Assistant Commissioners to ensure hundreds of outstanding private sessions with people with lived experience can be completed before the end of the inquiry.
A recent legislative change allows for the appointment of Assistant Commissioners with the appropriate skills and experience to undertake private sessions alongside the three existing Commissioners.
Commissioners Kaldas, Brown and Douglas have so far completed 639 one-on-one confidential sittings to hear the often-harrowing stories of those impacted by suicide and suicidality. There are some 320 private sessions still to be held.
“We know how important these sessions are to veterans and their families, and the catharsis and validation they bring to so many people impacted by suicide and suicidality,” Commissioner Kaldas said. “Equally, these sessions provide us real insight into the lived experience of serving and ex-serving members, and their families, and this knowledge is vital to our inquiries.”
“We want to continue to ensure they have the opportunity to be heard and the appointment of Assistant Commissioners will achieve that.”
The Royal Commission hopes to finalise the appointment of the Assistant Commissioners by the end of the year.
