SA mum Julie-Ann Finney’s brave fight for inquiry into veterans’ suicides is one step closer
The Adelaide mother of an ex-Navy sailor who took his own life is one step closer to achieving her aim for a royal commission into veteran suicides.
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The Adelaide mother of an ex-Navy sailor, who took his own life after battling PTSD, is one step closer to achieving her aim for a royal commission into veteran suicides.
Julie-Ann Finney told of her grief during an emotional meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday, who assured her “he has not ruled out a commission of inquiry”.
Ms Finney said she did not want another family to live with the constant pain.
Ms Finney has collected 250,000 signatures calling for a royal commission since her Navy poster-boy son Dave took his own life in February.
Ms Finney said she did not want another mother to have to suffer what she had after her son called for help.
The response from the Australian Defence Force was “we will ruin your career and we will get rid of you,” she said.
“They signed up to serve our country,” she said.
“The Australian Defence Force has taken Australia’s bravest. They were not broken people.”
Ms Finney was among a group of five mothers who met with the PM at Parliament House in NSW for a Save Our Heroes Summit.
They spoke with the PM for more than an hour to tell of their loss – a grief that has been shared by more than 500 families of the veterans who have killed themselves since 2001.
Ms Finney, told how her son Dave was told he had to travel from the ACT to NSW to see a psychologist as he fought his mental demons — a battle he lost just months later.
Glenda Weston said their sons came home broken.
Her son private Bradley Carr took his own life on Anzac Day. “It was not a coincidence he chose that day,” she said.
“He went away to fight a war and he was still fighting it in his head when he came home,” she said.
She was joined by Nikki Jamieson, the mother of private Daniel Garforth, Colleen Pillen, mother of private Michael Powers and Jan Hewitt, mother of private Brock Hewitt.
Ms Hewitt, whose son Brock died this year, said: “We are here being the voices of our sons because they are not here.”
Former Major General Jim Molan also backed the need for a royal commission. “If we are going to fix this problem we have got to know the facts.
“If there is time to strike, the time to strike is now,” he said.
Keynote speaker James Brown, former NSW RSL President, agreed and sent a message to the Prime Minister: “The opportunity is now, you’ve never had so much support behind you to fix this system.”
He said what was required was strong, decisive leadership and a royal commission. Mr Brown thanked Mr Morrison for meeting the mothers yesterday.
“Now we need your strong and sustained leadership on this issue for the rest of your Prime Ministership,” he said.
“Australia’s living veterans need your help. They have stories to tell you,” he said. “Stay home from that next overseas commemoration service you get invited to.
“The veterans you need to hear from are in Holsworthy, not Hamel. If you want to connect with the veteran’s community don’t fly to the Western Front, drive to Western Sydney.”
Acting NSW Veterans Affairs Minister Geoff Lee Save Our Heroes Summit in Parliament House yesterday: “The system is broken.
“The NSW Government is committed to supporting this call for a Royal Commission,” he said. “Clearly we must do better.”
His call was echoed by Australia’s most decorated hero Ben Roberts-Smith who said: “It’s been a long time coming. It is something that is needed.”
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