Nearly 70 ADF personnel lost to suicide despite government promises to stem the tide

A young sailor’s suicide has become his mother’s fight for justice, as she reveals the abuse and trauma he endured in the Navy — and the system she says failed him.

EXCLUSIVE: 

Nearly 70 new families are grieving the loss of Australian Defence Force personnel to suicide, despite the government committing to groundbreaking change to stem the tide.

Not one of the 122 recommendations called for in the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide’s final report — totalling seven volumes and more than 3000 pages — has been fully implemented, almost a year on.

Supporters of the nearly 6000 veterans and family members who for three years poured out their hearts at hearings across the country – hoping their tales of grief and abandonment would help others – say the inaction delivers a “deeply disappointing” message.

“Based on the historic average, three veterans suicide every fortnight currently, and that won’t change until things change,” Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said, calculating that at least 67 defence personnel would have taken their life since the report’s release.

“Serving and former ADF personnel will continue suiciding at an alarming rate until all of the recommendations are implemented effectively.”

Watch the video above.

For families like Cheryl (centre) pictured with her daughter Melissa and Julie-Ann Finney outside Canberra parliament, the government’s slow response to the Royal Commission’s final report has only deepened their grief. Picture: Supplied

Michael, a leading seaman from Wollongong, took his own life at HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney in 2022. He was 34. Picture: Supplied

Among those pleading for change is Cheryl, whose son Michael – a leading seaman from Wollongong, NSW – took his own life at HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney in 2022, aged 34.

In a private hearing, she and her daughter Melissa – who’s surname has been withheld – revealed that Michael had endured years of bullying, discrimination, and sexual abuse while serving on a Collins Class submarine.

His suicide note contained a chilling sentence: “The Royal Australian Navy is responsible for my death.”

“How many more beautiful sons and daughters do we have to lose before urgency becomes real?” Cheryl said.

“Michael left us with words that must never be ignored. All I ask now is that his death, not just his service, be honoured with truth, with compassion and with action.”

That same pain is echoed by Patricia Fernandez de Viana, whose son James — a 26-year-old Royal Australian Air Force electrical engineer — took his own life while still serving in 2019.

“I feel my voice at the first hearing session in Brisbane was heard by the Commissioners but not by the Government,” she said.

Patricia Fernandez de Viana, whose son James — a 26-year-old Royal Australian Air Force electrical engineer — took his own life while still serving in 2019. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“Our son killed himself whilst still serving. That is a grubby truth the government and Australian Defence Force (ADF) want to ignore because it is so unpalatable to them.

“There has not been any real changes in the ADF since the Royal Commission, and if there has, we the public, the parents, the taxpayers are not being informed.

“The politicians have blood on their hands because deaths by suicide of serving and non-serving veterans are still happening because of an extremely toxic ADF.

“My life has been ruined and my family fractured.”

The final report – handed to the federal government in September by Commission lead, former NSW deputy police chief Nick Kaldas – called for the creation of a national suicide register for current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and urgent action to address bullying and sexual assault within the military.

Julie-Ann Finney lost her navy son David. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The inquiry revealed that serving and former Defence members are 20 times more likely to die by suicide than in combat — a staggering figure attributed largely to cultural failings within the Defence establishment.

In its response issued last December, the government supported 104 of the 122 recommendations. Seventeen were “noted” for further consideration, but the government has yet to clarify their fate to date.

Among the most urgent recommendations was a call for a formal, independent inquiry into military sexual violence — something survivors and legal experts said was crucial to driving cultural change and accountability. The final report also called for a review of the military justice system and action on the chronic under-reporting of sexual assault.

But 10 months later, both survivors are still waiting for the Albanese government to announce who will lead the inquiry and what form it will take.

“It is especially important that the federal government delivers on its promise to set up an independent inquiry into sexual violence in the Australian military,” said Mr Wilkie, who served 20 years in the Army and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says the historic average of three veteran suicides every fortnight won’t change until the government acts. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“There’s almost one assault a day continuing so long as reform is delayed.

“Unsurprisingly some veterans and families are feeling deeply disappointed and abandoned by the seemingly slow realisation of the royal commission’s recommendations.”

A spokesperson for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said “significant work is underway” across government, but did not provide a breakdown of which recommendations have been completed or how many are actively in progress.

The government confirmed a Commonwealth-led task force has been established to co-ordinate implementation and pointed to work underway to set up the Defence and Veteran’s Services Commission (DVSC), with interim head Michael Manthorpe working across departments to deliver a legislated body by September this year.

It also flagged consultations with veterans to co-design a new wellbeing agency and a culture reform program led by the Chief of the Defence Force.

If you or anyone you know needs help:

Lifeline : 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 635, beyondblue.org.au

1800RESPECT, is a 24-hour hotline for sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling

Open Arms Veterans and Families Counselling : 1800 011 046, openarms.gov.au

Originally published as Nearly 70 ADF personnel lost to suicide despite government promises to stem the tide