Government insists there’s no need for royal commission into veteran suicide
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is adamant we don’t need a royal commission into veteran suicide, despite growing calls for the investigation.
Steve Price has been inundated with calls from veterans and their families, who have tragic stories about ex-servicemen and women who have slipped through the cracks.
Just last week, a mother furiously told Steve about how her veteran son lost his battle with PTSD after being forced to wait six months for a psychiatrist appointment.
Despite growing calls for a royal commission into the treatment of our veterans, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester argues there’s still no need for it.
“We’ve just received the findings of a Productivity Commission report.
“It outlines a whole range of areas where the Productivity Commission argues the DVA is heading in the right direction, and in other areas says we’re heading in the wrong direction.
“I do stress there is help available for people who do seek help. Unfortunately, we still have a problem with some of our veterans not seeking help in the first place.
“I’m not saying for a second, and I never have claimed this in the 18 months I’ve been in the job, that we’ve got it all perfect. But I do claim that the DVA is seeking to make changes.”
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