Suicide Commissioner publishes past-suicides reports

In November 2020, interim National Commissioner for Defence and Suicide Prevention Bernadette Boss asked the Department of Defence, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) to provide information to support her to progress the independent review of past defence and veteran suicides.

The Office of the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention has now received responses from these agencies, which includes information about relevant reviews, reports and inquiries into serving and ex-serving ADF member deaths by suicide, and what steps they have taken to address findings and recommendations in those reviews.

To ensure the independent review is carried out transparently, the responses to these requests for information are made available here.

Commissioner Boss also asked Defence, DVA, and IGADF to provide information on current and ex-serving ADF members who died by suicide since 2001.

To ensure the confidentiality of these individuals, and respect the privacy of their families, this information is not publicly available.

Commissioner Boss said this information was a useful step to understanding what happened in the past and what Defence and DVA are doing, and what more needs to be done to prevent further deaths by suicide.

“Every person and story is different and that is why this information is so crucial to the independent review,” Dr Boss said.

Contact the Office of the National Commissioner if you would like more information and to register your interest to participate in the National Commissioner’s activities.

 

If you, or someone you know needs support, you can contact:

• • Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14
  • Beyond Blue Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
  • Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
  • Open Arms (current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel and their families are able to seek this free and confidential support) on 1800 011 046
  • ADF Mental Health All-hours Support Line (for current serving Australian Defence Force personnel and their families) on 1800 628 036.

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