Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) welcomes the Federal Government's recent announcement of an additional $498 million over 10 years to expand the Australian War Memorial to commemorate recent conflicts;

(b) acknowledges that:

(i) between 2000 and 2015, 325 members of the Australian Defence Force and veterans have been lost to suicide,

(ii) NSW RSL have reported that 85 veterans suicided last year,

(iii) suicides amongst veterans are not always recorded and, thus, these figures are likely to be much higher, and

(iv) the most recent report available suggests that between 2007 and 2009, and between 2013 and 2015, there has not been a statistically significant change in the suicide rate among ex-serving men; and

(c) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) increase funding for veteran support payments and health services, and

(ii) look after the living, as we rightly honour our war dead.