The APS is deeply concerned about the enduring mental health issues and suicides within the Defence and veteran community, and the wide-reaching impact on families, kin, friends and society at large, as detailed most recently in our APS response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
As noted in our submission, improving this situation will require a sustained national investment in quality, person-centred, holistic lifetime support for the Defence and veteran community, and systemic changes within the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) and other support agencies structures, policies and initiatives. Change will also require strong leadership that models and supports system-based actions and reforms. Towards this end, the APS is supportive overall of the proposed recommendation by the Commission to establish a new oversight body for the reasons outlined in the consultation paper.
However, while we support the establishment of the proposed new entity, we provide the following three main areas of feedback:
1. Enshrine human rights as a foundational design principle: A human rights emphasis would position the design and operation of the proposed new entity as one grounded in dignity, equality, and respect for the inherent health rights of every Defence member, veteran, and their family and kin.
2. Ensure sufficient regulatory power to compel necessary action: Failure by the entity to drive robust action for tangible outcomes and hold the Government to account for improving the well-being of Defence members and veterans, risks perpetuating past harms.
3. Embed a commitment to evidence-based insights and practice about mental health, suicide and trauma-informed approaches: The proposed entity must deeply comprehend mental health, suicide and trauma. Mental health experts with extensive knowledge and skills of evidence-based practices, policies and systems that promote well-being, prevent mental ill-health and suicide and ensure effective and safe support and treatment for the Defence and veteran community must be central to the design and governance of the entity.
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