Since it was established almost three years ago, DFA has worked with the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide to ensure the voices and perspectives of current serving ADF families are heard.

Below we feature a special message from Commissioner Peggy Brown.

The DFA team continue to engage with the Commission as they prepare to enter their final stages of work and deliver their final report.

Our involvement has involved making submissions, identifying engagement opportunities with families, and sharing information we have gathered over the years through our work. This has included:

• Private testimony by the Defence Family Advocate of Australia.
• Engaging directly with the commissioners and their team.
• Participation in the Stakeholder Reference Group.
• A Submission and participation in stakeholder workshop for the Royal Commission’s proposed new entity to support the wellbeing of Defence members and veterans.
• Provision of requested information in a Notice to Give.
• Supporting the communications needs of the Commission during it tenure and in an ongoing capacity to advocate for recommendations to be implemented.

We look forward to reading the final report from the Commission and will continue to advocate for the implementation of their recommendations to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for veterans and their families.

The Royal Commission hearings may raise issues that are personally challenging for some in our Defence community. Should you or your family require support, please reach out to a support service.

Defence all-hours Support Line – 1800 628 036
Defence Member and Family Support Helpline – 1800 624 608
Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling – 1800 011 046
Lifeline – 13 11 14

Special Message from Commissioner Peggy Brown

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has been running for almost three years. On 9 September, we will deliver our Final Report to the Governor-General and then our important work is complete. It will be up to Government to determine the way forward.   

My fellow Commissioners and I have learnt a lot since commencing in our roles in mid-2021. 

We’ve heard heartbreaking and, at times, harrowing stories from serving and ex-serving Defence personnel, and their family and friends, with lived experience of suicide and suicidality. They told us about the opportunities and challenges that come with military life – and many recalled how they felt let down by the systems that were supposed to protect and support them.  

This Royal Commission is very alive to the unique sacrifices Defence families make in support of those who serve and that they, too, make a significant contribution to our nation.

We know families play a vital role in Australian Defence Force members’ wellbeing. Research shows ADF personnel perform better and serve longer when their families are happy, well and stable. 

The stressors that come with having a family member in the ADF are significant. It’s not surprising that many members who separate from the ADF cite the pressure their service placed on their families as the primary reason for leaving.  

If Defence is to retain its people and meet its growth target of 30 per cent by 2040, families must be part of the equation. 

This Royal Commission heard stories from Defence family members through nearly 5,900 written submissions, some 900 private sessions, and 12 public hearings across Australia.

In the coming weeks, the Royal Commission is planning to deliver a special book honouring that lived experience to the Governor-General, with the Government then deciding when it will be tabled in Federal Parliament. The book will highlight some of the deeply personal stories shared with us in submissions with a view to illustrating the size and scale of the crisis this Royal Commission has been working to address. 

We will be impressing upon Government the importance of this special book so all Australians can understand the magnitude of the issues facing veterans and their families. We hope to be able to speak in more detail about the book and share it with the Defence and veteran community soon.

As we enter the final stage of the Royal Commission, we will continue building the strong evidence base for the transformational change we believe is required to turn the tide on Defence and veteran suicide once and for all. The many related inquiries and reviews which have preceded this Royal Commission have failed to reduce suicide rates – and the needless loss of life continues today. 

To support sustained change, we believe there needs to be a powerful independent body to pick up where this Royal Commission leaves off. This body would provide oversight of all elements of the Defence and veteran landscape and monitor the implementation of our recommendations, and, most importantly, it would report publicly on their progress. The body would also ideally be one that understands and considers the needs of defence personnel, veterans and their families.

In March, we held our final public hearings in Sydney and heard important evidence from senior leaders in the ADF, as well as from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles. and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, Matt Keogh.

We were pleased Minister Marles gave a strong commitment to act on “the thrust” of what we will ultimately recommend in our Final Report. “History will be our judge,” he told us.

I sincerely hope the Government takes this opportunity to show it’s committed to addressing suicide in the military and veteran community. The Royal Commission must be the line in the sand. 

The robust, evidenced-based findings and recommendations we will make in our Final Report will seek to drive improved health and wellbeing outcomes for serving and ex-serving personnel, and their families – and contribute to a stronger, more resilient and better ADF to meet our country’s future Defence capability needs. 

Commissioner Peggy Brown