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

Along with a number of my colleagues on this side of the House, I cannot for the life of me understand why, with the growing epidemic of veteran suicide, this government completely fails to act. There were 33 suicide deaths among serving and ex-serving ADF personnel in 2018, and 465 suicides between 2001 and 2018. But we know that the actual figures could be higher. If this were any other type of epidemic, there would be an uproar if people didn't receive the services they required and the treatment they needed. Can you imagine in any other area having so many deaths? The voices would be very loud, but not in this case, by this government. It's appalling. Our servicemen and servicewomen deserve better. Their families deserve better.

People in my electorate, like Julie-Ann Finney and Angela McKay, who both lost sons under these dreadful conditions, have been calling—indeed shouting—for a royal commission for the last 20 years. I'd like to thank them for meeting with me recently and telling me about their ongoing fight for change. Since 2001, there have been 17 government reviews looking into this, all to no avail. The only way to get to the bottom of it is to conduct a royal commission. Our veterans deserve better.