Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I pay tribute to the two previous speakers, the member for Canning and the member for Solomon, and recognise that they both have had distinguished careers in the Defence Force and are very capable people to talk on this particular subject. We thank them for their service and for putting themselves on the front lines to protect our wonderful nation.

Governments of all persuasions, including this government, are supporting those that fight for this country. As I said, they put their bodies and minds on the front line for us. They become tough, strong, persistent leaders. However, who is there remaining to help them when they come back home? The role of the Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner is designed to bring greater openness, understanding and care to the system that supports current and former members of the Australian Defence Force. The commissioner will report publicly to the minister and to the parliament, creating a clear and transparent pathway for identifying what is working well and, importantly, what is not working well.

This role exists to help meaningful reform aimed at improving suicide prevention and overall wellbeing for those who have served. Far too many individuals and families in the veterans community have been touched by loss, grief or a long-term struggle. The commissioner's work will recognise this reality and seek to shine a light on systemic issues that can contribute to the distress among serving and ex-serving members. The Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner Bill 2025 draws on the findings and recommendations of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee's review. It reflects an effort to take those recommendations seriously and respond in a way that strengthens the systems veterans rely on throughout and after their service. It also reflects the royal commission's 122 recommendations.

The commission will play an important role in improving transparency and accountability across the broader Defence and veterans support landscape. By monitoring, investigating and publicly reporting on systemic issues, the commissioner aims to support sustained long-term improvements. This work will help to rebuild trust within the veterans community. We need to build that trust that the veterans' concerns are heard, that their experiences matter and that action is being taken to better meet their diverse and often complex needs.

Importantly, the commissioner's mandate is very broad. Nothing is off limits when it comes to identifying and examining the structural or administrative factors that contribute to risk. This includes looking closely at the Commonwealth's policies, programs, systems and practices. The goal is not to assign blame but to understand why certain issues persist and how they can be addressed with compassion, evidence and, very importantly, accountability. The commissioner's work acknowledges the simple truth that behind every statistic there is a human being, a family, a spouse, a child—a son or a daughter—a network of friends and a community forever changed. By addressing systemic issues openly and thoroughly, we move closer to building a system that genuinely supports wellbeing, honours the service that these people have given for their nation, offers real pathways to healing and offers hope for those who have given so much.

The commissioner has the ability to undertake inquiries on their own account, on their own motion, which will provide a wide net for the niche and unusual. It allows the commissioner to take initiative rather than waiting. It means being proactive and taking preventative measures before families, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers say goodbye too soon. The commissioner is not a role the government has made up to tick a box. This is after extensive research and investigation from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, and we heard the member for Solomon speak extensively about the royal commission.

Recommendation 122 of the final report suggested establishing a new statutory entity to oversee the system reform across the whole defence network, and it was deemed to be the most important recommendation. So this is something that hasn't just been a thought bubble. It's something that's come out of that royal commission and its most important recommendation. These bills before us are to establish the role of the commissioner. The role of the commissioner is to complement the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission that was legislated by this government back in February 2025.

The commission has been up and running since September and has been overseeing the whole defence ecosystem; however, that's not enough. We need these bills to pass for our commitment to better the lives of ADF personnel and veterans. We need a commissioner to act in the best interest of veterans and those serving in an independent manner. We need to see proactive steps to prevent the ongoing trend of all the issues associated with veterans when they leave the Defence Force and whilst they're in the Defence Force as well as all the things that we heard during the royal commission.

The commissioner's role is designed to look at the entire system: the policies, structures and practices that shape the experiences of current and former Defence Force members. Their work isn't about investigating individual cases or single decisions. Instead, the commissioner steps back to see the bigger picture and identifies underlying, systemic patterns and issues that may be contributing to harm. This broad perspective is deliberate. It ensures the commissioner can focus on what truly matters: preventing future suffering by recognising system-wide problems that might otherwise remain hidden. To honour this responsibility, the bill gives the commissioner full independence in how they carry out their work. Absolutely no-one, including the minister, can tell the commissioner what conclusions to reach or how to conduct an inquiry. Their loyalty is solely to the truth and to the wellbeing of the people their work is meant to protect.

To ensure the commissioner can uncover the realities that veterans and their families face, the bill grants special powers when an issue is serious enough to require deeper investigation. In these situations, the commissioner can request documents, ask questions and, if necessary, seek a warrant to gather that information directly. These are powers that don't exist at the moment. These powers will exist not to intimidate but to make sure nothing stands in the way of understanding why detrimental situations occur and, even more importantly, how they can be stopped.

At the same time, the law protects the commissioner, their staff and anyone who steps forward with information, and this is essential. People who share their stories, often painful and private stories or difficult stories, must know that they are safe to speak out honestly and openly. Because the commissioner will be entrusted with highly sensitive information, the bill creates strong safeguards. It becomes an offence for the commissioner or anyone working with them to share that protected information unless it is currently allowed under the law. This ensures that personal stories, private information, medical details and confidential experiences are treated with the respect, dignity and care that they deserve.

When the commissioner completes an inquiry, the process is open, fair and designed to ensure accuracy. A draft report must be prepared and shared with those whose actions or responsibilities are discussed. This draft will include the findings, the evidence behind them and any recommendations for change. If an agency or organisation is involved, its leadership is given the chance to respond. This step matters because it recognises that change is most effective when everyone has been heard and when those involved can clarify, correct or contribute to the understanding of what has happened.

All of this is about ensuring the experiences of veterans, including their pain, their courage and their hope, lead to real change. We know that all of the experiences of veterans—Vietnam veterans living alone, young veterans raising families, naval personnel connected to the shipbuilding precinct, RAAF members transitioning into civil life, or reservists balancing service with their careers—can help shape the national picture. So the commissioner's work ensures those experiences are not lost, ignored or dismissed but instead are part of the driving force behind the systemic change. It means veterans are not expected to struggle alone; it means families can trust that someone is watching over the system; it means problems that were once hidden or not brought to light can be brought forward and addressed properly and systematically; and it means every story, every challenge, every frustration and every moment of courage can help create change. Ultimately, it means that veterans and their families can feel seen, respected and supported by a system that genuinely strives to do better.

Just before I resume my seat, I'd also like to pay tribute to a great Australian in my electorate, Julie-Ann Finney, who worked so hard for the royal commission a few years ago and still works voluntarily without pay and without any benefit to have veterans' voices heard. I think that at times like this we come to a certain point with legislation, with royal commissions and with the work that we do here, but we should always think of those people who advocated strongly to bring us to this position and to bring about change. I pay tribute to Julie-Ann Finney today as well.

See this speech in context