Gay RAAF veteran to address suicide probe

Sam McKeith | February 15, 2022

A royal commission investigating defence and veteran suicide will continue in Sydney, with the inquiry set to hear evidence from a gay airforce veteran pushed out of the military because of his sexuality.

The week-long public hearings are taking evidence from those in the ADF community who have had suicidal ideation, and family members of those who have taken their lives.

Due to take the stand on Tuesday is an RAAF member forced out of the service after colleagues discovered he was gay, a royal commission spokesperson told AAP.

An expert panel is also scheduled to canvas improvements to the coronial system.

Later this week, the inquiry is due to hear from staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs, consulting firm McKinsey, and medical experts.

It has so far heard evidence from an openly gay former soldier and the widow of a deceased serviceman who say they were failed by the defence force.

It has also been told of an “unacceptably high” backlog of compensation claims, with processing time doubling to an average of about 200 days.

The Sydney sessions follow the first block of hearings in Brisbane in 2021, where the inquiry probed common risk factors in defence and veteran deaths like social and family contexts, financial circumstances, housing and employment issues.

It has also looked at the impact of the culture within the military on veterans’ physical and mental wellbeing.

The inquiry came about after Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared last year he would not block a move to examine the issue of ADF and veteran suicides.

Compared with the general population, suicide rates are 24 per cent higher for ex-serving men and double for ex-serving women, according to federal government data.

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