9 Sep 2024
The Commissioners at a press conference at Parliament House this morning.
The Commissioners have delivered the Final Report Commissioners Nick Kaldas APM (Chair), the Hon James Douglas KC and Dr Peggy Brown AO delivered the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide to the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, during a private meeting at Government House in Canberra at 11:00 am today.
The seven-volume Final Report contains 122 recommendations to drive improved health and wellbeing outcomes for serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel – and save lives.
It is the culmination of the Royal Commission’s exhaustive three-year inquiry examining cultural, structural and systemic issues contributing to alarming rates of suicide and suicidality among Australia’s Defence and veteran population.
The recommendations are evidence-based and informed by the lived experience of people who’ve been touched by military suicide. The thousands of lived experience stories shared with the Royal Commission in public hearings, private sessions and written submissions helped the Royal Commission to pinpoint the issues failing veterans, and their families.
Commissioners Kaldas, Douglas and Brown have shown immense dedication and commitment in their roles, which have now come to an end with the delivery of the Final Report. The entire staff of the Royal Commission would like to thank them for their leadership, guidance, thoughtfulness and support during what has been a rewarding, challenging and, at times, confronting inquiry.
What happens next?
The Final Report is now with Government for tabling in Parliament and consideration. The Royal Commission will publish the Final Report, including all recommendations, on our website once it has been tabled.We will send out another newsletter to let you know when the Final Report is available to download and read. It will also be possible to order hard copies. We recommend reading the Final Report online if you are able to as the Final Report has seven volumes, each of them hundreds of pages long.There will also be helpful guides, factsheets and other resources to support you in reading and understanding the Final Report.
Royal Commission staff will now work to wind down the Royal Commission by mid-October.
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