Message from the Commissioner

Today marks one year since the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission (DVSC) opened its doors.

The DVSC is the result of the key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The recommendation was to establish an independent body to oversee government's implementation of the Royal Commission's recommendations and drive systemic reform. The Royal Commission described the establishment of our Commission as one of the most significant actions government could take to drive lasting change. 

Over the past 12 months, much of my focus has been on building the foundations needed to fulfil that mandate, including:

• establishing the Commission as an independent statutory body 
• supporting the development, introduction and passage of stand-alone legislation that safeguards our independence  
• building a dedicated team 
• establishing the Commissioner's Advisory Group, and  
• commencing major inquiries into whether the reforms recommended by the Royal Commission are being meaningfully implemented.

I’ve also begun the important work of engaging with veterans, serving members, families, ex-service organisations, researchers and government agencies across Australia. I’ve learned something from each and every engagement. Those conversations help to shape our priorities and inform our work.  

 While there’s still much to do, I’m energised by what’s been achieved in the Commission's first year. I’m looking forward to making a valuable contribution going forward. 

 On our 1^st anniversary I'd like to share an update on where we're up to, what we're hearing from the community and what you can expect from us over the coming months. 

Access to Information Inquiry Report

Today, one year after the DVSC opened its doors, I handed our first final Inquiry report into Access to Information to the Minister for tabling in Parliament. Once tabled, the report will be published on our website.  

This inquiry commenced in January this year. It examines how serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and families access information held by Defence and DVA.  

The Royal Commission considered this issue to be urgent. They found a sense of confusion and lack of transparency about how Defence and DVA information was shared, stored and released. They found serving and ex-serving members experienced difficulties getting access to their own information. They also found it impacted families of deceased members who were seeking to access information about their loved one. 

This report looks at whether 5 interim recommendations made by the Royal Commission in 2022 have been fully and meaningfully implemented by Defence and DVA. 

Natasha Stott Despoja AC to lead Military Sexual Violence Inquiry

The Royal Commission heard extensive evidence about the devastating effects of sexual assault and other forms of sexual misconduct – effects that impact the lives of serving and former serving ADF members, their families and colleagues. They found that military sexual violence was a systemic issue in the ADF and it had been for decades. Without deep systemic reform it will continue to be so. 

To that end, they recommended an independent Inquiry into Military Sexual Violence in the ADF be undertaken. The Minister asked the DVSC to undertake this Inquiry. 

Natasha Stott Despoja AC will lead the DVSC’s independent Inquiry into Military Sexual Violence. Natasha is among the world’s leading experts on sexual and gender-based violence. She will bring valuable experience to the DVSC. Her experience includes serving as: 

• a current member of the United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 
• the Royal Commissioner for South Australia’s Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 
• Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls 
• Senator for South Australia, and 
• a Deputy Chair of beyondblue. 

This makes Natasha an outstanding person to take this Inquiry forward.  

The Inquiry will pick up issues the Royal Commission identified – but was unable to fully inquire into due to time constraints – such as prevention, justice, supports and data collection. 

 As Deputy Commissioner, Natasha will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, witnesses and officials. She will also convene and preside over hearings.  

Hearing directly from those with lived and living experience of military sexual violence will help inform the Inquiry's recommendations ensuring they are grounded in real-world experience and lead to meaningful, lasting improvement. We will be convening a lived experience advisory group to inform this Inquiry. 

Our preparations for the Inquiry are well underway. The Inquiry will formally commence in late 2026 and will report at the end of 2027. The report will be made public following the Inquiry. 

We will let you know about public submissions, hearings and other ways to contribute to the Inquiry in the coming months. 

You can subscribe to receive updates about the inquiry through the Military Sexual Violence Inquiry Mailing List. 

Connecting with veterans and families across Australia

From day one, I’ve prioritised hearing directly from current and former serving ADF members and their families about the issues that matter most to them. 

While the Commission is based in Canberra, I’m committed to ensuring our work is not Canberra-centric. Hearing directly from people in their own communities helps me better understand both the challenges they face and the opportunities to improve wellbeing outcomes. 

So far I've travelled to New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. In August I visited the Northern Territory.  

These visits are invaluable. While common themes emerge wherever I go, every community has its own experiences and challenges. 

In Darwin, for instance, I heard about issues shaped by the Territory's unique circumstances. These include access to health services, the impacts of isolation, and the pressures associated with a high operational tempo in a remote location. At the same time, people spoke proudly about the strong support networks, employment opportunities and community connections that exist across the region, and the increase in veterans staying in the NT post-transition.  

These insights are exactly why being on the ground matters. They help ensure the Commission's work is informed by the local experiences of serving and ex-serving members and their families.  

I've also had the privilege of meeting many people and organisations doing exceptional work to support veterans and families. Whether it's establishing a veterans' hub, helping someone navigate the claims process, supporting families, or simply creating opportunities for veterans to connect with one another through art, sport, music, gaming or other interests. These efforts make a genuine difference to people's lives and their wellbeing. 

What veterans and families are telling us

Although every community is different, several common themes and concerns have emerged in my meetings around Australia. These include: 

• transition from military service to civilian life 
• DVA entitlements, claims processing and veteran advocacy 
• Defence culture and leadership 
• military sexual violence, and 
• how the new Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency and Ex-Service Organisations Peak Body will work. 

I will continue to explore these and other issues as I meet with people across our Defence and veteran community. 

Tracking progress on Royal Commission reforms

We are continuing our Inquiry into government’s progress in implementing all of the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 

This inquiry commenced in May and will result in our first major implementation progress report. It will assess how reforms are being implemented and identify where further work is needed. Importantly, it will assess whether implementation is meaningful and consistent with the intent of the Royal Commission, whether the action taken has been timely, and if there are ways in place to measure effectiveness. 

We will provide an Inquiry report to the Minister by 5 February 2027. 

Commissioner's Advisory Group provides valuable insight

An important milestone has been establishing the Commissioner's Advisory Group.

The Group brings together veterans, serving Defence Force members, family representatives and experts from across Australia. Members provide specialist, technical, professional, lived and living experience perspectives and advice.  

Bringing these perspectives together in one room to inform the work of the DVSC is exactly what the Royal Commission envisaged.  

The Group is made up of 16 members, who bring a mix of skills, experience and expertise. They are diverse in terms of backgrounds service, gender, rank, location and areas of interest. There are twelve appointed members alongside standing representatives from: 

• the Australian Bureau of Statistics  
• the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 
• the National Health and Medical Research Council, and  
• the National Suicide Prevention Office. 

During its inaugural meeting on 7 August, the Group discussed a range of issues affecting the wellbeing of serving members, veterans and families.  

You can learn more about the Group and read the communique from the first meeting here: Commissioner's Advisory Group 

Looking ahead

The Royal Commission called for lasting reform. Our role is to help ensure that change happens and the voices of veterans, families and serving members remain at the centre of the work ahead.

Our priorities for the next 12 months are to: 

• continue meeting with and hearing from veterans, families, serving members and stakeholders across Australia 
• publish our Access to Information Inquiry report 
• commence the Inquiry into Military Sexual Violence in the ADF, and 
• deliver our first major report on the progress of the Government’s implementation of the Royal Commission's recommendations.

Thanks to staff 

I want to also take this opportunity to thank the staff of the DVSC. They are a committed bunch who are dedicated to improving outcomes for our service men and women (past and present) and their families. Together, I’m confident the DVSC will make a meaningful and valuable contribution to the lives of those who serve and have served us.