Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide

On 8 July 2021, the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), issued Letters Patent, which established the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

Under the Letters Patent, Nick Kaldas APM, the Hon James Douglas KC, and Dr Peggy Brown AO were appointed as Royal Commissioners. They delivered an interim report on 11 August 2022 and are required to produce a final report by 17 June 2024. The Letters Patent set out the Royal Commissioners’ terms of reference.

Background
Between 1997 and 2020 there were 1600 known cases of Defence and veteran suicides in Australia. The Federal Government resisted calls for the establishment of a Royal Commission, instead preferring establishing a permanent National Commissioner for veteran suicides. A National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention was established in February 2020. The work of the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention concluded on 15 September 2021.

Following increased pressure from members of the public, on 22 March 2021, the motion to support the establishment of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was established on 8 July 2021 by Letters Patent, pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902. The Letters Patent appoint Mr Nick Kaldas APM, The Hon. James Douglas KC and Dr Peggy Brown AO as Royal Commissioners.

Powers
The powers of Royal Commissions in Australia are set out in the Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth).

After a recommendation in the Interim Report, the Australian Government agreed to make legislative reform to provide stronger and broader protections to those who engage with the Royal Commission. On 30 March 2023, the Government expanded protections with Royal Commissions Amendment (Enhancing Engagement) Bill 2023 becoming law.

The amended legislation ensures any sensitive, personal or confidential information disclosed to the Commission is protected during and after the life of the inquiry.

On 14 September 2023, the Royal Commissions Amendment (Private Sessions) Bill 2023 passed in parliament. The new laws outlined in this bill allow royal commissions to appoint qualified and experienced senior staff members of royal commissions to conduct private sessions, in order to assist in workload. Prior to this, only royal commissioners were able to conduct private sessions, as outlined in the Royal Commissions Act 1902.

Hearings
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide commenced its proceedings with a Ceremonial Hearing in Brisbane on 26 November 2021.

In its first two years, the Royal Commission has conducted eleven public hearings in various towns and cities across Australia, including: Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Townsville, Hobart, Darwin, Wagga Wagga, Perth, Adelaide, and Melbourne.

Across these hearings, the Commission heard from over 300 witnesses, including:


 * Lived Experience witnesses – people with direct experience of Defence service, their families, and support people


 * Professional witnesses – ex-service organisations, academics, mental health professionals
 * Commonwealth witnesses – high-ranking Defence personnel, Members of Parliament, public servants.

The Royal Commission heard evidence about risk and protective factors that are unique to military service, including the role and importance of families, Australian Defence Force culture, transition out of the Australian Defence Force, delays with Department of Veterans’ Affairs claims, and more.

Interim report
As outlined by the Letters Patent, The Royal Commissioners presented the Interim Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide to the Governor-General, His Excellency, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) on 11 August 2022. The Interim Report was tabled in Parliament on the same day.

The Interim Report includes urgent recommendations and information based on the Royal Commission’s work so far. It includes initial findings on suicide prevention and wellbeing, families, Australian Defence Force culture, transition, and what might happen after the Royal Commission.

In the Interim Report, the Royal Commission made 13 urgent recommendations, including:


 * Legislative reform to simplify the veteran compensation and rehabilitation system.
 * Steps to eliminate the Departments of Veterans’ Affairs claims backlog.
 * Improving access to information for serving and ex-serving members and their families.
 * Strengthening protections to help serving members feel more comfortable sharing their stories.
 * Calling on the Government to remove the barriers to the Commission’s work caused by parliamentary privilege and public interest immunity.

In September 2022, the Government responded to the Interim Report, and outlined changes it would implement based on recommendations made by the Royal Commission.

Submissions
The Royal Commission invited members of the public, organisations, and institutions to share their experiences by making a submission. This included serving and ex-serving Defence personnel, their friends and family, support people, and organisation whose work related to the Royal Commission's terms of reference. Those who made a submission could remain anonymous.

Submissions did not need to relate only to suicide. Submissions could include anything relevant to the Royal Commission's terms of reference. Themes such as military service, trauma, mental health, family support, and more were important to the Royal Commission's inquiry.

Submissions opened on 8 July 2021 and closed on 13 October 2023. In that time, the Royal Commission received over 5000 submissions that covered a range of issues that related to the Royal Commission's terms of reference.

About 80% of submissions were from serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel, and their families and friends.

The five most common themes identified were -


 * suicide and suicidal behaviour
 * ADF culture, governance and accountability
 * mental illness
 * Department of Veterans' Affairs claims and compensation, and
 * ADF mental health support and responses.

Some submissions have been published on the Royal Commission's website, with the consent of the author.