The first 60 days of the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission

A message from the Acting Commissioner, Penny McKay

It is 60 calendar days since the new Defence and Veterans' Service Commission (DVSC) formally opened. As I said on Day 1, I have been honoured to step into the role of Acting Commissioner to launch the Commission and to stand-up its operations while a merit-based recruitment process for the inaugural Commissioner is underway. 

We have hit the ground running. 

From day one, connecting with people who have an interest in the work of the Commission and can provide valuable insights to inform our work has been one of our top priorities. Over the past 60 days I’ve met with a range of stakeholders to hear about what’s important to them and what they are seeing, hearing and learning.  

This has included: 

  • a wide range of ex-service organisations (ESOs) including National and State RSLs, Legacy Australia, Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans’ Association, and Veterans Housing Australia 
  • government agency heads including those with responsibility for implementing Royal Commission recommendations 
  • research organisations with an interest and expertise in Defence suicide and wellbeing, and 
  • Coroners and state-based veterans’ offices. 

In Tamworth, I presented at the RSL NSW Annual Congress to outline the remit of the DVSC and hear directly from local veteran advocates and volunteers about some of the issues they face.  

Most significantly, on Remembrance Day I had the privilege to attend and lay a wreath at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. It was a truly poignant service conducted with dignity and reverence commemorating our fallen service men and women. 

I thank those we have met with so far, and those who contacted us via our website. Having the opportunity to hear from organisations and people directly in these early days has been incredibly valuable to further our understanding of what is important to people now and ensure our work remains grounded in the lived experiences of veterans and their families. It helps to shape our priorities and identify systemic issues. 

What We’re Hearing 

We are hearing a range of ideas, issues, hopes and expectations for change. Some organisations and individuals expressed particular interest and views about specific recommendations of the Royal Commission or raised concerns about issues related to the implementation of Royal Commission recommendations. These issues are still top of mind for many people. 

In particular, we are getting a sense from our engagements so far that topics of interest include, but are not limited to, funding of Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs (recommendation 86), the new veteran wellbeing agency (recommendation 87), the ex-service organisations’ peak body (recommendation 89), access to military bases post-discharge (recommendation 82), research developments, coronial data, and therapeutic interventions. Almost everyone we’ve spoken to shares an understanding that managing a service member’s transition out of the Defence Force well is vital in improving suicide prevention. 

We’ve heard about more specific or individual concerns that may point to systemic issues relating to suicide or suicidality in the Defence and veteran ecosystem. While we cannot investigate or intervene in individual cases, learning about the issues people have experienced within these systems helps us to identify trends or themes that may benefit from a closer look by the Commission. 

We are also hearing loud and clear that all veterans are not broken. While the Royal Commission highlighted there are challenges still ahead to reduce defence and veteran suicide, we know many people who sign up to defend Australia are contributing greatly during and after their service. Acknowledging their service, sacrifice, and ongoing contribution to the fabric of Australia is critical. 

New Standalone Legislation  

Another top priority in the first 60 days of the Commission has been ensuring our legislation is fit for purpose and ensures the Commission’s independence. 

We’ve been working with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to develop standalone legislation for the Commission, as recommended by the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee in its recent review of Schedule 9 of the Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2025. That Committee also recommended the Commissioner be appointed by the Governor-General and a reference to families be included in the Commissioner’s functions. 

I was pleased the Government accepted the Committee’s recommendations and prioritised introducing the legislation into the Parliament on 27 November 2025. The Bill contains a number of provisions that will further clarify and strengthen the independence and transparency of the Commission, including the appointment of the inaugural Commissioner by the Governor-General. 

Growing our Capacity 

We’ve also been busy searching for the right people to build our capacity to do the important work of the Commission, including our Senior Executive team. We publicly advertised a number of recruitment rounds to fill new roles in the Commission. We will continue to build our staffing numbers over the coming year, while also working to ensure we have data and governance frameworks, ICT systems and a permanent office space to do our work effectively and independently. 

Looking Ahead 

The first 60 days have focused on setting the Commission up for success by establishing strong foundations. This included supporting the development of the legislation that will underpin all that we do, meeting with a wide range of people and organisations to help inform our understanding and areas of focus and building the Commission’s capacity to undertake the tasks ahead. 

The Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission exists because of the voices of thousands – veterans, families, advocates and experts who called for change and for accountability. 

Our mission is to honour those voices with action. 

I remain committed to ensuring the voices of veterans and their families stay at the centre of reform and that meaningful change leads us closer to a system that truly serves those who have served us.