Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide delivers interim report — as it happened.
After months of hearings across Australia, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has released its interim report, with key recommendations for government. .
By Bridget Judd.
By Bridget Judd.
The commissioners did say, however, they noted that the Australian Defence Department is open to improving its data on suicide and suicidality, and the way it’s managed.
By Bridget Judd.
The commissioners say many people who have participated in the royal commission so far spoke about their “frustration and disappointment” with compensation claims processing, “and what they experienced as an unhelpful and negative attitude” by Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) staff.
By Bridget Judd.
If you missed the update a short time ago, Minister for Veterans' Affairs Matt Keogh addressed the interim report and some of its recommendations:.
He said some of the matters raised in the interim report were currently being addressed by the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans' Affairs, such as increased staffing to work through the backlog of claims.
The Minister said he was sorry "if there have been failings" in how Defence and the Department of Veterans' Affairs have operated.
Mr Keogh said he still has confidence in leadership at Department of Veterans' Affairs.
By Bridget Judd.
"Clearly something is not working in Defence and Veterans' Affairs.
By Bridget Judd.
By Bridget Judd.
Mr Keogh says an extra 500 staff for the Department of Veterans' Affairs is "sufficient" to help work through the backlog of claims.
By Bridget Judd.
Asked if the government owed an apology to ADF members and the families of veterans who have died, Mr Keogh said that if there have been failings in the way in which Defence and the Department of Veterans' Affairs have operated, "I'm deeply sorry about that".
"The Department of Veterans' Affairs which I'm directly responsible for is an agency that is there to
By Bridget Judd
Mr Keogh says it's vital that the recommendations are "addressed as a priority", adding some of the matters raised in the interim report are being addressed by the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans Affairs
"Such as increasing the staffing and resources available to the Department of Veterans' Affairs to reduce the current claims backlog," he says
He added that the deputy PM and others in government met with the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs "a few weeks ago to make clear that under this new government, the royal commission must be assisted in any way possible to ensure that it can make the most effective recommendations on how to address the scourge of suicide"
By Bridget Judd
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Matt Keogh is addressing the interim report now
By Bridget Judd
By Bridget Judd
By Bridget Judd
By Bridget Judd
By Bridget Judd
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has released its interim report
By Bridget Judd
By Bridget Judd
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