Joint Statement: Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Final Report

THE HON ANDREW HASTIE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL

THE HON BARNABY JOYCE MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR VETERANS’ AFFAIRS

PHILLIP THOMPSON OAM MP
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL


JOINT STATEMENT
ROYAL COMMISSION INTO DEFENCE AND VETERAN SUICIDE FINAL REPORT

Monday 9 September 2024

The Coalition welcomes the tabling of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Final Report.

The Coalition recognises that the release of the Final Report will be difficult for many current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and their families. Our thoughts are with them today.

The Royal Commission made 122 recommendations which the Coalition will now examine and consider in due course.

Announced by the former government in April 2021, the Coalition remains committed to working with the Federal Government to address the unacceptably high rates of suicide among the ADF and veteran community.

Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, said the Royal Commission detailed troubling findings.

“The Royal Commission reported that 1,677 lives of veterans have tragically been lost to suicide between 1997 and 2021. These are families who have lost a brother or a sister, these are mums and dads who have lost their son or daughter. These are children who have lost their father or mother. These are families who have been devastated by this tragedy and we have a duty to these families and to our nation to try and get to the bottom of what is going on here and to fix it up” Mr Joyce said.

“These members of the Defence Force were prepared to sign their name on the dotted line to offer their life. This is a sacrifice that so many others would not wish to make.

“It is also incredibly important to our nation that we maintain the Defence Force as a respected and honoured service. We need people to serve our nation now more than in recent times because the threats to our nation are now vastly more profound. If we can’t show that we can look after people on the way out, not just when they are in, it makes the task of finding people to go in very difficult.

“The Prime Minister needs to include the Veterans’ Affairs Minister in Cabinet. Having the Veterans’ Affairs Minister in Cabinet will ensure that veterans have a voice in Cabinet and the recommendations of the Royal Commission are fully implemented.”

Shadow Minister for Defence, Defence Industry and Defence Personnel, the Hon Andrew Hastie MP, said the Australian Government has a responsibility to care for the physical and mental wounds of our ADF personnel and veterans.

“The men and women of the ADF serve our nation with honour and bravery. But paying lip service to them is not enough,” Mr Hastie said.

“These findings are a stark reminder that we must do better by those who defend us. Military service is a unique vocation and our deeds must reflect this.

“While troubling, I hope the Royal Commission will result in real and valuable reforms in this space.”

Assistant Shadow Minister for Defence, Defence Industry and Defence Personnel, Phillip Thompson OAM MP, said

“This Royal Commission has shone a spotlight into the darkest corners of our Defence and Veterans’ Affairs departments,” Mr Thompson said.

“We need to act now. The Coalition will work through the recommendations of the Final Report and work with the government, so that our nation's bravest aren't continuing to succumb to their war within.”

The Coalition would like to thank the thousands of veterans, their families, and others who gave evidence, wrote submissions and participated in private hearings. Their contribution has been invaluable.

Support is available to all serving and ex-serving ADF personnel and their families by contacting Open Arms for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 1800 011 046.

[ENDS]

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  • Andrew Hastie
    published this page in Latest News 2024-09-09 15:23:54 +0800