Former Army officer suicides at ADF headquarters in Canberra

A former Army officer working in the Australian Defence Force intelligence unit in Canberra suicided in the car park of the Army headquarters.

An ex-army officer who works in the Australian Defence Force intelligence unit was found dead in his car by colleagues in the Army headquarters car park.

Sources say the man who died on December 21 was an intelligence officer with ASIS and had military experience. It’s the third defence-related suicide in less than a month.

A leading seaman from HMAS Stirling in Western Australia took his own life and just an Army member ­attached to 1st Armoured in South Australia died by suicide on New Year’s Eve.

News of the death of the intelligence officer in the ADF’s Russell precinct in Canberra spread quickly in military circles and on social media ­defence groups, but in the ­following days information dried up, prompting veterans advocates to call for better transparency on suicides within the military.

Veterans advocate John Simmons said suicides and ­attempted suicides were often covered up by the ADF hierarchy.

Aerial view of the Defence buildings in Canberra where a former Army officer suicided in the car park. Picture: Defence Department

He said the government’s new independent commissioner should be replaced by a Royal Commission. A Defence spokesman said he was aware of an incident in the Russell precinct on Monday, December 21.

“As the matter is being investigated by ACT Policing, it would be inappropriate for defence to comment, and any inquiries should be directed to ACT Policing,” the spokesman said.

ACT Police confirmed they attended the incident in Russell on December 21 and there were no suspicious circumstances. A report was sent to the ACT Coroners Court.

Mr Simmons, who runs Jesse Bird Welfare Centre in Adelaide, said “sadly too many vets are being told to use services on offer by ­defence and only them”.

“The ADF breeds a culture of physical, mental and emotional abuse. This abuse is often investigated and hidden from the surviving family and the public. We have been pleading for change and asking the greater community to stand behind those who took an oath to serve. We owe it to all those who have the lost the fight at home to have there story heard.”

A soldier from the 1st Armoured Unit in Edinburgh, South Australia, reached out to Mr Simmons in September last year. Christian Larson, 35, was struggling emotionally but told Mr Simmons he had been warned against seeking help from him.

“He contacted me twice last year, which to me indicates a fairly significant problem. He said if the unit found out he talked to me he would be in a whole lot of trouble.  

“That shits me to tears because look how it turned out. They would prefer they go to the RSL, their own support services, that way they can keep under control what they say.”

There have three defence-related suicides in less than a month. Picture: Supplied

Another advocate who runs the Pineapple Express Facebook page for veterans said the three suicides are the tip of the iceberg.

“This is just one of the many Defence members that has passed away by their own hands since NYE,” he wrote.

“We haven’t been able to post about them purely ­because we haven’t gained permission from family.”

Last Sunday Leading Seaman Liam Gould, 24, died and his post on Pineapple Express said: “I understand mental health in the ADF is problematic and it needs work.”

Senator Jacqui Lambie said veterans were killing themselves in record numbers and nobody knows why.

“But instead of calling a genuinely independent Royal Commission into this, the Government is letting Defence create its own investigation into itself … being led by someone who was a part of Defence until she resigned two days before she took the job,” Senator Lambie said.

A defence spokesman said mental health and suicide are issues that affect everyone in the community and there is often no single cause.

“It is a national tragedy that more than 3000 Australians take their own lives each year,” the spokesman said.

“When it comes to ADF and veteran suicide, the only acceptable number is zero and the only acceptable number for the Australian people is zero.

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

Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Minister Darren Chester said the government is committed to putting our veterans, Australian Defence Force personnel and their families first “and continues to invest significantly in mental health”.