Marles said he understood there were important stories to be told,but on the other hand:“We need to see change happening now. We need to get moving on this. That’s how we feel as a government.”
The royal commission was set up by the Morrison government in 2021,and this was the first time that Marles,who is also deputy prime minister,and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh have appeared before the inquiry.
Marles said the government was committed to implementing the thrust of the commission’s recommendations when they were received and that he knew that “we will not be able to escape the judgment of history.”
The commission is examining suicide for both veterans and serving military personnel. But Defence in 2021 and General Angus Campbell in 2022 gave evidence that being a serving member offered a protective factor against suicide.
They relied on figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare that suggested from 2002 to 2018,the age-adjusted rate of suicide was 50 per cent lower for male permanent serving members of the armed forces than the general community and 49 per cent lower for males in the reserve.
The risk of suicide was 21 per cent higher for ex-serving men and 127 per cent higher – or more than double for ex-serving women – indicating it is a bigger problem among veterans.