Two new Assistant Commissioners have begun work with the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide as private sessions with people with lived experience resume in Sydney this week.
Assistant Commissioners Bob Atkinson and Susan Young have now started in their new roles and will work alongside Commissioners Nick Kaldas, Peggy Brown and James Douglas to complete about 300 outstanding private sessions.
Since the start of the Royal Commission in 2021, the three Commissioners have completed 639 confidential, one-on-one sessions with serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members, family members and friends, to hear their deeply-personal experiences.
They will now turn their attention to the Royal Commission's final public hearing, commencing in Sydney in March, where senior Government and military leaders are expected to give evidence. They will also continue work on the final report and recommendations which they are due to hand over to the Governor-General on 9 September this year.
Mr Atkinson AO APM and Dr Young said they felt privileged to be involved in the private sessions and to be able to hear the deeply personal stories.
"It's important to continue to hear about the cultural and systemic issues that have failed the brave men and women who protect us - and which are contributing to high rates of Defence and veteran suicide", Dr Young said.
Mr Atkinson added: "The information provided in these private sessions will continue to inform the work of the Royal Commission as it seeks to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for past and present ADF members - and contribute to a stronger, more resilient and better ADF to meet Australia's future defence capability needs."
Thirty private sessions are scheduled for Sydney this month, with 37 expected to be held in Brisbane and 41 in Canberra during February. Royal Commission staff are working with participants to schedule the remaining sessions.
Mr Atkinson and Dr Young were appointed as Assistant Commissioners in mid-December following the passage of the Royal Commissions Amendment (Private Sessions) Act 2023.
