Royal commission’s damning interim report on veteran suicide – where to next
There is a culture of tribalism and exclusion in military settings that is created by factors including hyper-masculinity and stigma against acknowledging injuries
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has released its interim report after more than 1900 submissions and 194 witnesses.
It includes recommendations considered so urgent the commission is making them now (it still has two years left to run).
After years of lobbying efforts by the veteran community, the government finally relented and established the royal commission in 2021. The evidence presented and initial findings justify how important it is.
The interim report is a good start and we hope the problem of independence and accountability for the effects of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) culture and systems will be addressed.
