‘When it comes to protecting, supporting and helping our veterans, Australia is losing the war’: Gosling

MEMBER for Solomon Luke Gosling writes why the federal government needs to establish a “full Royal Commission” into veteran suicide in Australia, arguing it necessary to properly scrutinise defence and veteran suicides and key defence agencies

FORMER special forces officer Major Heston Russell lost more of his mates to suicide than during four deployments to Afghanistan.

More of his friends died by their own hand off the battlefield than on it. Sadly, he’s not alone.

There have been 465 reported suicides of servicepeople between 2001 and 2018, with 33 deaths in 2018 alone.

What’s worse is we know that there are many, many others who go unreported.

When it comes to protecting, supporting and helping our veterans, Australia is losing the war.

That’s why I’m calling for a royal commission into veteran suicides.

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Labor and many veterans worry that the federal government’s proposed National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention will not be up to the job – that this is simply a marketing exercise and won’t have the resources or independence to ask the hard questions.

Hugh Poate’s son, Robbie, was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2012. Hugh and wife Jenny have been helping troubled veterans ever since.

“There is a strong public perception that a Defence officer is inappropriate to head such a commission,” Hugh says.

“For the commissioner to be truly independent, that person should have no current or former association with the ADF inquiry.”

I agree. We have a problem, and we need a full royal commission to fix it. We need to lay out a plan to hear from experts and families so that the public understands the suffering of some – not all, but some – of the people that have served our nation, protecting us and our interests, and to get enforceable recommendations on how we can prevent these tragic, avoidable deaths.

I encourage businesses and organisations to employ veterans because of the awesome drive and focus of our serving men and women.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling OAM says there needs to be a Royal Commission into veteran suicide. Picture: Che Chorley

It’s true that some need our help to prepare them for life after the military, to manage their mental health and wellbeing, to heal any injuries from their service, to make sure they’re fairly compensated, to set them on new employment pathways and to ensure stable housing.

Male veterans are 21 per cent more likely to die by suicide than men generally, but alarmingly they had a 66 per cent higher suicide rate when they discharged for medical reasons compared to men who discharged voluntarily.

The rate of suicide among ex-serving women is twice as high than the general female population.

That is appalling. And it is so sad.

As a veteran who is mates with hundreds of veterans, and as the brother, son and grandson of veterans, depression and suicide is an all-too-familiar story. I really wish it wasn’t.

Sometimes, the financial cost of a royal commission is raised as a reason to “not go there”.

Defence veteran Dan Tellam runs Billeroy House, a support service for veterans especially those struggling with mental health issues. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

But it makes me sick that the federal government, which has just splashed $1 trillion in its budget, has warned the nation that a royal commission on veteran suicide would cost up to $100m.

What price should we pay for the liberty our veterans have fought for? Risking and sometimes losing their lives? What cost for ensuring that they remain alive and well?

We have an opportunity to learn from their experience and to give the parents of young Australians considering serving our country the confidence that the system has been reviewed and fixed – and that they’ll be looked after.

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Labor and I back the Australian Defence Force. We back the Department of Veterans Affairs. We back ex-service personnel organisations and acknowledge the significant work they’ve all done in improving the systems that help our veterans and their families.

We’re doing a lot better than we have in the past, so it’s not all bad.

But what we need is a plan, not a piecemeal approach.

The evidence is overwhelming. Now more than ever we need a royal commission. Lest we forget.

Luke Gosling is the Member for Solomon