RSL Tasmania boss says ‘enough is enough’ over veteran suicide, throws support behind royal commission

The CEO of RSL Tasmania says the royal commission needs to be “given teeth”, with the issues of Australian Defence Force claims backlogs costing lives.

RSL Tasmania’s CEO has thrown his support behind recommendations to urgently speed up the “unacceptable backlog” of Veterans’ Affairs claims – describing the system as “broken”.

This week, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide handed down its interim report, making 13 recommendations for change – including urgent calls to clear the claims backlog.

John Hardy, RSL Tasmania’s CEO, described the testimonies heard at the royal commission’s Hobart hearings over the past two weeks as “harrowing”, adding “enough is enough”.

John Hardy, CEO of RSL Tasmania, John Hardy, giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide in Hobart.

“The royal commission has got to be given teeth. We can’t wait until the end of the royal commission for some of these things to be put into place. We think these things need to happen now,” he said.

“I honestly don’t think anyone can defend the current system of funding for veterans and their families.”

Mr Hardy said the claims system was “broken”, with veterans making claims in times of great stress, only for lengthy delays to compound their issues.

“With so many considering suicide, surely we have to act now.”

Last week, Mr Hardy – along with other RSL Tasmania heads such as state president Barry Quinn – told the royal commission the organisation was attempting to fill gaps in services to veterans by establishing “veterans’ hubs” in Hobart and Launceston.

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