ADF veteran suicides: Scott Morrison meets with grieving mum Julie-Ann Finney

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he is still considering whether to hold a royal commission into the country’s veteran suicide crisis, after meeting with a grieving mother for a second time.

• PM gets serious about veteran suicide royal commission
• Veteran mum’s grief hits home with politicians

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will spend his Christmas break thinking about whether to hold a royal commission into veteran suicides, after meeting with the grieving mother spearheading the calls.

Julie-Ann Finney, who has collected more than 266,000 signatures calling for a royal commission since her son Dave took his own life in February, met with Mr Morrison today in Canberra.

Scott Morrison meets with Julie-Ann Finney on Thursday.

Retired army major general Jim Molan with Ms Finney.

“Mr Morrison was happy to meet with me and we discussed some of the new initiatives that are being done for veterans,” Ms Finney said.

“He said he is still in discussion about the royal commission and it is not off the table. He also promised it won’t be forgotten during the Christmas break.”

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In parliament, Mr Morrison acknowledged Ms Finney and the other families who had lost a veteran to suicide.

“These are difficult conversations but they have suffered a loss we just can’t imagine and I know all members of the House would extend our deepest sympathies to them for their terrible loss which is with them every single day,” Mr Morrison said.

“And I also want to convey to the Member for Herbert (Phillip Thompson) and all of his mates, this entire place stands with you and their families.”

Julie-Ann Finney’s navy officer son Dave took his life in February, at the age of 38. Picture: Kym Smith

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, Mr Thompson was cut off during a speech in which he planned to talk about how the government’s Defence Service Homes Amendment Bill, seeking to reduce living costs for veterans, could help in the prevention of suicide.

“Veterans suicide should be bipartisan, we should be working together, not for cheap political points,” he said.

Mr Thompson was visibly upset and angry as he told the parliament he had received a call from a friend just three days ago to inform him another mate in Townsville had died by suicide. “Only a couple of days ago,” he said. “This is where people in this house need to be working together … veterans suicide is all our business.”

At The Daily Telegraph’s Save Our Heroes Summit earlier this month, the PM met Ms Finney and five other grieving mothers whose sons had taken their lives.

Mr Morrison said then he was “actively considering” holding a royal commission into the country’s veteran suicide crisis.

“It gave me a much better understanding of what they were seeking out of a royal commission,” Mr Morrison said.

Victoria Cross recipient and Afghanistan veteran Ben Roberts-Smith met with the mothers of the young veterans who had taken their own life (l to r) Glenda Weston, Colleen Pillen, Jan Hewitt, Julie-Ann Finney and Nikki Jamieson. Picture: Toby Zerna

“They were aware I had not ruled it out and it was something I am actively considering.”

Yesterday, Ms Finney met with Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, Labor deputy leader Richard Marles and opposition veterans’ affairs spokesman Shayne Neumann.

Australia’s most decorated soldier Ben Roberts-Smith recently backed a royal commission into veteran suicides, saying it would allow an open and transparent look at the leadership of Defence, who he accused of protecting their own careers rather than helping soldiers suffering psychologically.

The Daily Telegraph has backed Ms Finney’s call for a royal commission, and at a summit in Sydney earlier this month the Berejiklian government backed the calls for a royal commission.

Acting Veterans Affairs Minister Geoff Lee told the summit: “The system is ­broken. The NSW government is committed to supporting this call for a royal commission.

“Clearly we must do better.”

Earlier this month, Ms Finney also met with Current Chief of Army Lieutenant General Angus Campbell and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds.

Originally published as ADF veteran suicides: Scott Morrison meets with grieving mum Julie-Ann Finney