The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has attributed cultural issues within the Australian Defence Force to a “failure of leadership.”
Chair of the Royal Commission, Nick Kaldas, emphasised that previous inquiries were ignored, with leaders turning ignoring problems such as bullying and abuse.
The final report, spanning seven volumes, will be presented to the Governor-General and tabled in Parliament.
It includes 122 recommendations, one of which calls for a permanent body to oversee the implementation of reforms.
According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data, at least 1677 serving and ex-serving members died by suicide between 1997 and 2021, more than 20 times the number of personnel killed in active duty during that same period.
With nearly six thousand submissions, the inquiry has highlighted the urgent need to address veteran suicide, and streamline compensation claims.