Federal Government to outline progress on Royal Commission recommendations into defence, veteran suicide

The Federal Government will lay out its progress in responding to key recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The Royal Commission found 1677 serving and former serving defence personnel had died by suicide between 1997 and 2021 - more than 20 times the number killed in active duty during the same period.

Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh will address the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday, marking a year since Labor delivered its initial response to the Royal Commission’s findings.

Labor accepted the overwhelming majority of the inquiry’s 122 recommendations.

But in an update to parliament in September, the Government said only nine recommendations had been completed, with work being done on a further 110.

Mr Keogh will on Tuesday confirm a standalone inquiry into military sexual violence will be held, fulfilling a recommendation from the Royal Commission.

The fresh inquiry will look at the barriers that exist in the Australian Defence Force to investigating sexual assault and the effectiveness of the military justice system.

It will start next year and wrap up within 12 months before a final report into military sexual violence is handed down.

It comes as a class action by a group of women who allege sexual abuse is systemic within the military heads to court on the same day.

There are four applicants, whose identities remain hidden for legal reasons.

Any woman who experienced sexual violence harassment or discrimination during their service in the Australian military between November 12, 2003 and May 25, 2025 is eligible to join the landmark fight.

The Royal Commission found troops convicted of particular sexual crimes should be booted from the military, victim-survivor support should be improved and more work ought to be done to understand the prevalence of violence in the defence force.