Earlier today during a National Press Club Address broadcast on the ABC, Nick Kaldas, head of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, declared that the shockingly high rates of veteran and defence suicide was “unquestionably a national crisis.”

After highlighting the essential work undertaken by Ex-Service Organisations, Commissioner Kaldas backed calls for a peak body to be established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission and to keep a permanent watch on veteran wellbeing, a body with the power of a Royal Commission itself.  

The RSL has previously called for the establishment of a National Office for Defence and Veteran Wellbeing headed by an Independent Commissioner, supported by a cross-organisational advisory group, responsible for overseeing the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.  

Read more about the RSL’s proposal HERE.

Watch Commissioner Kaldas’ address to the National Press Club HERE.