Commissioner's Advisory Group
The Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner’s Advisory Group is being established to connect the insights of people with relevant expertise and experience, including those with lived experience, to the independent oversight work of the Commission.
The Commissioner’s Advisory Group (the Group) is being established to support the Acting Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner (the Commissioner) to improve the prevention of suicide and wellbeing of serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members.
As envisaged by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, the Group will provide a mechanism for individuals and organisations with expertise and experience across suicide prevention, wellbeing and the Defence and veteran ecosystem, to provide timely and confidential advice to guide the work of the DVSC.
The Group will comprise of professionals and individuals who can bring a mix of skills, experience and expertise, including lived experience of suicide and suicidality, or in areas such as suicide prevention, Defence member and veteran health and wellbeing, and experience serving in the ADF, or as family of an ADF member. Commonwealth research institutions with relevant subject matter expertise may also participate as members.
The Group is also intended to reflect the diversity of the contemporary serving and ex-serving ADF community.
Expressions of Interest are now open for suitably qualified and experienced people to join the Commissioner’s Advisory Group.
Apply now through our online form
Applications are sought for the appointment of up to 12 members, comprising up to 6 individuals with lived experience and up to 6 suitably qualified independent professionals.
Applications close on Friday, 20 March 2026.
Before applying, please read the Commissioner’s Advisory Group Terms of Reference.
Members are being sought with demonstrated expertise or experience in one or more of the following areas:
- lived experience of Defence and veteran suicide, mental health and wellbeing
- suicide prevention and/or postvention
- biostatistics and/or data management and analysis
- reputable and relevant academic research
- evaluation of suicide prevention and wellbeing programs
- mental health intervention and treatment, and
- suicide prevention and/or wellbeing within the Defence and veteran ecosystem.
The primary responsibility of the Group will be to provide specialist technical, professional, or lived experience advice to the Commissioner, to drive improvements in suicide prevention and wellbeing outcomes for serving and ex-serving ADF members.
Members will share their advice and insights to help inform the Commissioner’s work. This may include advising on related issues in the Defence and veteran ecosystem, priorities for future reviews, ways to effectively engage and communicate with different interested parties, the implementation of Royal Commission recommendations, and other DVSC materials and reports as required.
Members will be remunerated for their participation in the Group.
Please note that the Commissioner’s Advisory Group is different to, and independent from, the currently advertised Veterans' Affairs Ministerial Advisory Council being administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
The Commissioner’s Advisory Group is just one avenue for people to engage with the DVSC. For further information on how to get involved in the work of the Commission, please see our Get Involved page. In the event we receive more expressions of interests than places available in the Group, we look forward to engaging with you through these channels.
