Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide continues in 2022
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide began its first hearings in Brisbane in December 2021 and recommenced this year in Sydney in February and March, with the fourth hearing block scheduled for April in Canberra. DVA is closely following the progress of the public hearings and is committed to responding in a timely and transparent manner to all requests from the Royal Commission.
The department understands this is a difficult time for many sharing their stories and it is important for all veterans and their families to know that if they need support they can continue to contact Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling for free support and counselling (available 24/7 on 1800 011 046). Those who wish to remain anonymous, can contact Safe Zone Support on 1800 142 072.
Submissions to the Royal Commission are open until Friday 14 October 2022, according to the Royal Commission website. This is your chance to share your thoughts, and to contribute to the important work of the Royal Commission. Your submission can be made anonymously and you do not need to provide your contact details. You can make a submission online via the ‘Make a submission’ link on the home of the Royal Commission’s website, or by calling 1800 329 095 to request a mailed submission form.
If you are providing a submission or appearing as a witness to the Royal Commission, you may wish to obtain official records from DVA to assist you to prepare your submission and/ or to give evidence.
Information about how you can make a request for your official DVA records, or how you can request third-party records (if you have the appropriate authorisation), is available on the DVA website on the Freedom of information page.
You can also complete a short query form and a member of our staff will contact you to provide assistance, including explaining the process and timeframes.
For more information, visit the above web pages or call 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).