1 week Ago By Steve Robson
People are critical to our . Australia faces not only a volatile Indo-Pacific region but also the prospect of increased deployment of ADF personnel to help with floods, fires and cyclones. .
or signup to continue reading In 2022, then-prime minister Scott Morrison committed to increasing the size of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to . Promises are easy - delivering on them is hard. Last year's highlighted the ADF's difficulties both in recruitment and retention, revealing that Australia remains short more than 4000 soldiers, sailors and aviators.
Today the final report of the will be delivered to Governor-General Samantha Mostyn. Australia's response to that report will have important implications for the ADF and well beyond. Earlier this year Commissioner Nick Kaldas told Defence leaders that, without change, the ADF could not be an employer of choice nor attract the right people during a time of risk and uncertainty.
"Fixing the cultural issues we've identified," Kaldas stressed to the top brass, "will help stop the revolving door of employee turnover that poses a real risk to Australia's Defence capability." The royal commission was established, albeit reluctantly, in 2021 following sustained pressure from families who had lost serving and veteran family members to suicide. Any sense that such a response was unwarranted was blown out of the water when the .
Commissioner Dr Peggy Brown, a psychiatrist well known to Canberrans as a former director-general of ACT Health, delivered shocking findings only a few months ago. Male serving ADF members in combat and security roles were twice as likely to take their own lives as other working members of our community. In an interview earlier this year Commissioner Kaldas said, "There are factors in service that cause suicidality to occur that are not related to battle - and it's important to address those.
" Indeed, in his recent address to the National Press Club Mr Kaldas pleaded that "we, as a nation, can no longer allow to continue." The stakes are very high for our community with over half a million Australians having served in the ADF. That is a large at-risk population many of whom already face challenges in their lives.
Military service is a unique occupation. Those who serve in the defence of Australia and its national interests forgo some liberties and accept risks to their health and their lives that service brings. In a time of increasing global uncertainty and rising risk of conflict it is vital that the people who serve in the ADF are supported and work in an environment that allows them to thrive and give their best.
"We owe it to our sailors, soldiers and aviators and their families to ensure they receive the protection and support they need and deserve," Commissioner Kaldas stated earlier this year. As a former serving doctor in the ADF, and with family members I know were severely affected by their experiences in military service, I support Commissioner Kaldas' comments strongly. In my own practice I treat serving members and veterans and I like to think that I have their back.
After many decades of harm to those who have served it is high time for change. We must heed and act on the recommendations of the royal commission. The commissioners received almost 6000 submissions, held not only a dozen public hearings but close to 1000 private sessions.
"The royal commission has spent almost three years examining in detail all aspects of service and post-service life to pinpoint the cultural and systemic issues contributing to alarming rates of suicide and suicidal behaviour in Australia's military community," the group said in a public statement. The Commissioners' report will call for a small and independent body to monitor the ongoing response of the ADF and Veterans' Affairs to suicidality among the people in its care. Such a body must report publicly to hold the Defence leadership to account.
Our generals and admirals cannot be allowed to continue business as usual and expect any improvement. We must listen to their findings and act on their recommendations. "If a royal commission cannot be a catalyst for change," implored Mr Kaldas, "I'm not sure what can.
We have known about mental ill health, suicide and suicidality linked to service since at least the First World War." Since D left her position as Interim Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention three years ago, these issues have had no oversight. If the royal commission's recommendation is ignored then the entire exercise will have been in vain.
We cannot allow that to happen. At a time when Australia is likely to need our service personnel more than ever, and when it is more and more difficult to recruit and retain them, we must pull out all the stops to support them, not only while they serve, but in the years afterwards. I support and commend the strong words of Commissioner Kaldas: "We, as a nation, must do better to protect those who protect us.
Australia has let down its veterans, and their families, for far too long. Far too many lives have already been lost." Lest we forget.
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