Ms Taylor was speaking before the start of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide,which has its first hearing in Brisbane this month. She will give evidence in February. She now receives a war widow’s pension.
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Between 2001 and 2019,there were 1273 deaths by suicide among serving ADF personnel and veterans,data shows – almost three times more than previously reported.
In March this year,facing possible defeat on the floor of Parliament,Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared he would allow a move to finally examine the crisis.
Since 2007 there have been multiple hearings,inquiries and investigations related to defence and veteran suicide which cover thousands of pages and hundreds of recommendations. The implementation of many of those recommendations has not started.
In October and November of last year,nine veterans took their lives,which prompted Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie to call for veteran suicides to be treated as “one of Australia’s most pressing problems”.
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Solicitor Paul James,of Operational Legal Australia which specialises in veterans’ claims,is representing Ms Taylor and four other families giving evidence to the royal commission.
“For years she repeatedly asked the DVA to help her husband,but they didn’t. Because that wasn’t done his addictions and his mental health worsened and it became untenable for them to remain in the same household.
“She was asking for financial help because she was effectively a single mother. She had a hope of having the family back together provided he got well. They knew he had problems,but there was no proactive movement by the department. The bureaucracy caused further delays,” Mr James said.
In a submission to the royal commission seen byTheSun-Herald,RSL NSW said the negative impact of interaction with the department was the main systemic issue identified in feedback from veterans and sub-branches.
“Many veterans saw the DVA system in a negative light,” the RSL submission said. Of 51 veterans it surveyed,43 (85 per cent) had a negative impression or comments about the department.
One respondent,“Ross”,wrote in the survey:“I can tell you from personal experience that DVA is a huge contribution in my attempts in committing suicide.”
The RSL NSW submission said the existing system of dealing with veterans was “a patchwork of inconsistent availability and quality of service,sewn on a base of an overly complex legislation”.
A spokesperson from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs said that as the Royal Commission is pending,it was not appropriate to comment on individual matters raised in submissions.
“The loss of any current or former serving member is a tragedy and is deeply felt by the entire Defence and veteran community,” the statement said.
“The staff of DVA are unwavering in their commitment to supporting the veteran community. Many DVA staff have served in the ADF or a family member of a veteran.
“DVA is committed to ensuring veterans have access to the support they need,when and where they need it,especially those who are vulnerable or at risk. This includes a commitment to processing claims as quickly as possible,in a transparent,fair and equitable manner.
The spokesperson said each year the government invests more than $11.5 billion to support about 336,000 veterans and their family members across Australia.
“This includes free mental health care for life for all veterans,without the need to link the condition to their service.
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“The department welcomes the Royal Commission as an opportunity to reduce the instances of death by suicide in the Defence and veteran communities.”
Chief executive of the Invictus Games Michael Hartung said his organisation was also preparing a submission to the royal commission.
“TheAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare has identified that younger veterans and especially those medically discharged are most at risk of death by suicide,” he said.
“Veteran suicide is a national crisis. To address this challenge we need to seek a range of solutions and fresh approaches. Invictus Australia is an important development and we are well-placed to be part of the solution.”
Soldier On,which is partly funded by the Australian government and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs,in a 49-page submission stated:“A significant number of veterans express a distrust of DVA,or a dissatisfaction in their interactions with the department. Many prefer to deal with more accessible tailored and local organisations.”
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Ms Taylor said if the system worked,she and her boys wouldn’t be in the situation they are today. “If they cared about their members my boys would have a dad and I would still have my husband.
“My oldest thinks he needs to be the man of the family. He’s 10. There are moments they have when I think,I just wish their dad could see this.”
Her plans for their second Christmas as an incomplete family? “To get through it.”
Crisis support can be found at Lifeline:(13 11 14 andlifeline.org.au),the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467 andsuicidecallbackservice.org.au) and beyondblue (1300 22 4636 andbeyondblue.org.au)
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