Advocates demand royal commission into defence suicides after nine deaths in three weeks

Nine serving and former ADF men and women have died by suicide in the past three weeks, the veteran community says – but Defence says they know of only one.

The “needless” death by suicide of nine serving and veteran Australian Defence Force members in the past three weeks is further evidence the system’s not working and a deep-dive royal commission is needed now more than ever, advocates say.

The Defence Department says it can confirm one death by suicide by a serving ADF member on November 1. It is unaware of any more.

The Advertiser on Monday reported the veteran community was left “speechless” by the “unprecedented” suicide of eight men and one woman – the latest on November 19 – in Queensland and New South Wales.

The administrator of the online veteran community that posted memorials to some of the dead, with family permission, said four were serving ADF and two were veterans. The administrator, known as Paul, did not want to be identified.

“The fact that ADF only knows of one (suicide) shows the lack of duty of care to their soldiers,” said ex-serviceman Paul, not his real name

Accurate recording of all suicide deaths and links to the ADF is part of the push for a Royal Commission into veteran suicide being led by Adelaide mother Julie-Ann Finney.

¬Memorial post for Private Shane Holt posted by The Pineapple Express on November 20, 2020, with family’s permission

“We need to do better,” said federal opposition spokesman for veteran affairs Shayne Neumann.

“Nothing less than a full and independent Royal Commission into veteran suicide will get to bottom of this terrible scourge and help prevent these needless deaths in the future,” Mr Neumann said.

The government’s proposed National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention “simply won’t be up to the job” and was without the powers, resources, will, nor independence to ask the really hard questions, he said.

Memorial post of Leading Aircraftsman Robert Phillips by The Pineapple Express on November 16, 2020.

Ms Finney said she would not allow her son’s death to be investigated by the government’s commissioner, currently Dr Bernadette Boss, who she claims is too closely tied to the ADF to be independent.

“He deserves much better,” she said. “We need to investigate the direct correlation between Defence and the deaths and between (Department of Veteran Affairs) and deaths. There are just too many from one employer,” she told a Senate committee last week.

The Government has defended Dr Boss’s independence.

A Defence spokeswoman said: “Addressing the tragedy of suicide is a national priority and Defence is committed to ensuring serving and ex-serving ADF members have access to the right support, at the right time, especially those who are vulnerable or at risk.”

For help, serving ADF can call: ADF Mental Health All-hours Support Line (ASL) on 1800 628 036. And for veterans, call Open Arms (24/7) on 1800 011 046.