Military officers would have their performance appraised and promotions tied to meeting benchmarks for culture, health and wellbeing as part of an overhaul of the Australian Defence Force to bring down “unacceptably high” and underreported rates of suicide among serving personnel and veterans.

The royal commission into defence and veteran suicide has also lashed the “weaponisation” of the military justice system by commanders misusing and abusing disciplinary proceedings to punish serving members, calling on the Inspector-General of ADF to conduct an urgent inquiry.