Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To all of the Australian Defence Force members, our veterans and your families: the freedoms that we enjoy today are on the back of the hard-fought battles, wars and sacrifices that you have made. Today the final report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has been handed down. To the families—mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children—and the mates who have had to bury their friends and loved ones I say sorry. I am sorry that you have had to endure such pain and that your loved one has succumbed to their war within back here on home soil.

This royal commission has shone a light into the darkest corners of Defence, Veterans' Affairs and the community. I think that the report today will make some significant highlights and that the government, with the coalition, will make sure the recommendations are implemented in a timely manner and that our bravest aren't succumbing to their war within. Many veterans in Townsville—many veterans around the country, their families, still-serving members—have contributed to this royal commission. Families who have had to relive the trauma of their loved ones who have died have contributed. As we've heard from the commissioners, it is on the government to make sure that they read this royal commission report and act on the recommendations that they have made. This morning, one of the commissioners said that there is nothing new in this report that we don't already know and that hasn't been done through other reports, but those other reports weren't acted upon. We will work closely with the families, the loved ones, Defence members, our veterans and the government to make sure that these recommendations are implemented.

To all those families that may be living this trauma again, I want to say that it's okay not to be okay, but it's not okay to suffer in silence. I'm sorry you've had to endure this. I'm sorry you've had to bury your loved one. It's a failure that I take responsibility for—and one that everyone that serves in parliament should wear as well—that we have had to come to a place where we've had multiple reports and another royal commission. We need to act now. We shouldn't be burying our bravest, those people who put on the uniform in the service of this nation. We should work together to implement these recommendations to protect our people who protect us.