TRANSCRIPT
After three years of evidence from hundreds of witnesses and almost six thousand submissions, the final report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has been handed down.
Between 1985 and 2021 there were 2,007 confirmed suicide deaths of individuals who had served at least one day in the A-D-F since 1985.
The report says an average of 78 serving or ex-serving A-D-F members have died by suicide each year for the past 10 years, that equates to an average of three deaths every fortnight.
While these figures are themselves alarming, the report also says they are an understatement, with those who left the force before 1985, including many who served in the Vietnam War, unaccounted for in the data.
The chair of the Royal Commission, Nick Kaldas, has called out ' failure of leadership' within the Australian Defence Force.
He says it's now up to the government to utilise the report's findings.
"The problems are clear. They're not new, but they're clear. And we hope that the Royal Commission has achieved one thing, which is to make the problems undeniable. It's really up to the government and our parliament now, we will hand down our recommendations and findings today. We hope they're approached in a bipartisan manner. It should not be a political issue uniting to help and support our veterans and our serving members."
The report makes 122 recommendations to the government, which it says form the blueprint for real, meaningful and long-lasting change.
Prior to the establishment of the Royal Commission, there were at least 57 inquiries and hundreds of recommendations made regarding veteran suicide and mental health, but the changes made failed to address the problems systemic causes.
Julie-Ann Finney's son, David, took his own life in 2019 after a two-decade career with the Royal Australian Navy.
She was instrumental in the campaign to establish the Royal Commission.
"It has to be the turning point. What has happened in the past is that, you know, people have buried their partners or their parents or their children and they've had to move away, maybe have a quiet court hearing or inquest or something that hasn't got a lot of media attention. Today, we are talking about 3000 of our bravest, our most honourable dead. And, you know, and I'm just one, one person, the commissioner said that each death affects about 135 people, and he said that there's about 3000 deaths."
The seven-volume report has around 3000 pages and debunks misconceptions that veteran suicide is exclusively associated with combat related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Commissioner Dr Peggy Brown says a lot of traumas reviewed by the Commission were not combat related – but rather a cumulative experience of time in service.
She says personnel were exposed to many different forms of abuse, including sexual violence.
"Sexual violence in military is, in our experience, far more common than it should be. That has a long-lasting impact on anyone who's exposed to it. Then often they're let down by the system following, for example, an experience of sexual violence. They feel betrayed by a system that lets them down and that doesn't actually follow through in terms of taking action against perpetrators."
The report details cultural problems within the defence force, ranging from a lack of support for returning vets transitioning to civilian life, to bullying and sexual assault.
The recommendations include setting up a separate inquiry into sexual violence within the defence force as well as establishing a new federal agency dedicated to the wellbeing of veterans.
Senator Jacqui Lambie first called for a Royal Commission when she was elected a decade ago, prior to her career in politics, she served in the Australian Defence Force for nearly 11 years.
"Today, there'll be recommendations put into place, and I suggest that the government of the day get those recommendations put into place as soon as possible, because it's the only way, you're never going to stop veterans for taking their lives, but what you can do, if you're doing it properly, is at least reduce that number. Reduce it at the very minimum, at least reduce it. Please."
Demanding stronger protections from sexual violence and toxic behaviour, the report describes the problem as one embedded in the structure of governing and leadership within the force.
The commission also heard that ritual violence and abuse were occurring in even the earliest stages of military training, with hazing practices and violence sometimes condoned by leadership in cases where the behaviour was deemed 'tradition'.
Now, Jacqui Lambie is calling for the Australian Defence Force Academy to be shut down.
"Defence will continue to be punished by people who do not want to join until it is fixed. Once again, I will call for the Australian Defence Force Academy to be shut down - effective immediately. Everybody needs to go through the same, basic training and then they can go to the Royal Military College once they're selected as a leader. That's how it should be done. We've spent billions on putting little rich kids through a school and paying for their education. That's what we've done. That has failed us miserably and that is part of the problem."
The government is expected to formally respond to the final report shortly.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the report could not have been made without the bravery of those who gave evidence.
"For many, this has meant revisiting the darkest moments of their lives. Twelve public hearings, three hundred and forty witnesses, nine hundred private sessions, more than five thousand, eight hundred submissions were made to this Royal Commission. It is a measure of the extraordinary courage of those involved, and a reflection of their great selflessness and determination to make sure that others are protected from what they have endured."
The following counselling and support services are available:
Open Arms: 1800 011 046 - 24-hour mental health support for Navy, Army & Air Force personnel, veterans and their families.
Defence Member and Family Helpline: 1800 624 608 - 24-hour service providing a range of practical and emotional support programs for families facing emergency or crisis.
Defence All-hours Support Line: 1800 628 036 - 24-hour service for Australian Defence Force members and their families providing help to access military or civilian mental health services.
Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14 - 24-hour crisis support service. Available via telephone, online and text chat.
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 - 24-hour counselling service for sexual assault, family and domestic violence.
Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491 - 24-hour counselling, information and referral service for men concerned about their own use of violence or abusive behaviour.
MensLine: 1300 78 99 78 - 24-hour support for men with concerns about mental health, anger management, family violence, addiction, relationship stress and wellbeing. Available via telephone, online and by video chat.
