A public hearing of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide in Sydney has ended with a call for serving members of the Australian Defence Force to have their say and make a submission ahead of hearings in Canberra, Townsville and Hobart.
The Commission Chair Nick Kaldas said witness accounts at the eight-day hearing identified gaps in suicide reporting data; concerns about military culture and issues around sexual assault.
“The information before us suggests cultural problems still exist in the ADF – despite the important work each service (and the ADF as a whole) is doing to address consistently high rates of suicide,” Commissioner Kaldas said.
“This isn’t a problem of the past.”
Commissioner Kaldas said support is available for anyone who wishes to talk to the Commission but fears that speaking up could jeopardise their career.
“No one can tell your story better than you. We need your help to understand the many issues that may contribute to the risk of suicide.”
Commissioner Kaldas also raised significant concerns that parliamentary privilege legislation is restricting the Commission from considering documents tabled to Parliament that relate specifically to Defence and veteran suicide.
“This diminishes our capacity to meet our terms of reference and deliver the outcomes the community should rightly expect,” Commissioner Kaldas said.
“We will be writing to the Parliamentary Officers and to the Government, asking them to take action. If necessary, we intend to recommend an appropriate amendment of the Parliamentary Privileges Act.”
The next public hearing will be in Canberra from 4 April. Hearings will also take place in Townsville from 20 June and Hobart from 25 July.
