Commissioners from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide will be gathering tonight with federal politicians in Australian Parliament House, Canberra for a moderated panel discussion, regarding the Royal Commission’s findings and their critical work.
It is significant that this event will be held in Australian Parliament House, as it was Government who established the Royal Commission and it will be up to our federal politicians to ensure its findings are appropriately acted upon and enforced.
The rate of suicide among veterans remains incredibly high with our veterans more likely to die by suicide than in service over the period of the Afghanistan war.
To date, the Royal Commission has conducted 11 public hearings across Australia. It has heard from 280 witnesses and held 491 private sessions. It has received over 4,000 submissions.
Suicide Prevention Australia, CEO, Nieves Murray said, “It is important to recognise that the families of veterans and defence personnel are a key part of providing support, and face challenges themselves.
“It is pleasing to see that the Government has supported several of the Royal Commission’s recommendations in the Interim Report however, we need to go further.
“When the final report is released, it is imperative that all recommendations of the Royal Commission are fully implemented.
“We want to see change and there needs to be adequate resources to ensure implementation and an ongoing accountability mechanism beyond the life of the Royal Commission,” said Ms Murray.
Read our Defence and Veteran policy position.
Read the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Interim Report
ENDS.
To get help 24/7, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, phone 000 for emergency services.
Help to report about suicide safely is available online: Go to https://mindframe.org.au/
Media enquiries:
Tom Anderson 0409 718 271 or toma@suicidepreventionaust.org
Clare Kinsella 0427 689 689 or clarek@suicidepreventionaust.org
About Suicide Prevention Australia
Suicide Prevention Australia is the national peak body and we’ve been providing support for Australia’s suicide prevention sector for more than 30 years. We support and advocate for our members to drive continual improvement in suicide prevention policy, programs and services. Our reach is broad, including member organisations, governments, businesses, researchers, practitioners and those with lived experience. We are focused on an integrated approach to suicide prevention encompassing mental health, social, economic and community factors. We believe that through collaborative effort and shared purpose, we can achieve our vision of a world without suicide.