‘It’s now time to fight for our veterans’. That’s the message to all Australians from the three Royal Commissioners who’ve spearheaded a three-year inquiry into the suicide crisis within the nation’s Defence and veteran population.
As the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide held its closing ceremony on 28 August, our CEO, Renee Wilson, shared her thoughts and reflection on the closing ceremony in a thought provoking article ‘3-2-1 Go’.
3-2-1 Go
The message on Wednesday was clear – the Defence and Veteran support system isn’t meeting the expectations of the Australian community.
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide fundamentally saw an examination of the Defence and Veteran systems by those from outside the system. For far too long the system has been reviewing itself and discounting reviews undertaken by external bodies, all 57 of them.
Australians, like the Commissioners themselves, the staff , the Solicitors and Barristers alike saw what was happening within our system. They saw what has been happening for decades and said very simply – not good enough – do better.
For those of us in the system we are used to having our hearts broken by reviews that go no where and change taking place at such glacial speed that it is easier to simply give up rather than keep going to access what is needed, access entitlements and make change.
But the feeling yesterday at the Ceremonial Close of the Royal Commission was different. It was different because you could feel the weight of the history. You could feel the weight of all of the lived experiences shared, and you could sense the baton passing from the Royal Commission to all of those in the room with the power to do something.
Powerful insights were shared by those from outside the Defence and Veteran system as they reflected on what they saw over the last three years. Reflections like this from Commissioner Kaldas:
“The men and women of the ADF have done all we ever asked of them. They have worn the uniform, many have gone where angels fear to tread, and too many have paid a very dear price, up to the ultimate sacrifice. Our nation is indebted to them and that debt must be now be repaid”
While the Commission may have closed yesterday – its work continues and it continues through each and every person, organisation and institution who now has to step up and keep the momentum going – because if we don’t we have failed.
We need real, fundamental and systemic reform following this Commission because we now know everything in painful and confronting levels of detail which obligates us to come together and act.
The Commission has demonstrated the power of independent external oversight and inquiry. This must continue because without it there can be no accountability and no check and balance on the Defence and Veteran system. A lack of this oversight is what got us here in the first place and it will keep us here unless the Australian community can continue to see what is and isn’t happening. Australians expect their veterans and their families to be looked after and supported.
The next steps on this journey will be taken by true leaders. It will take leaders at all levels of government the system and the community. It will be the leaders that will forge the path for those that come after, and I think we may finally have enough of them in the system now to rise above the noise and take action. While the Defence Minister may have said a few months ago, history will judge us – history will be made by those that stand now for our veterans and their families.
Will you?
In the words of Commissioner Brown “3-2-1 go.”
– Renee Wilson, CEO Families of Veterans Guild & veteran spouse.
