The Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner Bill 2025 establishes the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner and the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission as a standalone independent statutory body, separate from Part VIIIE of the Defence Act.
It grants the Commissioner powers to monitor, inquire into and report on systemic issues contributing to suicide and wellbeing outcomes among serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members, implements Recommendation 122 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, and transitions existing Defence Act provisions into a new Act.
The Bill repeals Part VIIIE of the Defence Act 1903 and enacts the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner Act 2025, establishing the office of the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner and the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission as a Commonwealth entity for the purposes of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. The Commissioner is appointed by the Governor-General for a term of up to five years, with functions including monitoring data and trends on veteran suicide, inquiring into systemic factors in Commonwealth policies and programs, conducting own-motion or Minister-requested inquiries, and reporting publicly to Parliament.
A companion Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025 repeals the Defence Act provisions, inserts related amendments into the Archives Act 1983 and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986, and ensures that inquiries commenced under Part VIIIE continue uninterrupted. The Commissioner may conduct special inquiries with coercive information-gathering powers, protect sensitive and intelligence information, and require government entities to respond to recommendations. Operational funding of $44.5 million over four years has been announced.
Establishing an independent Commissioner responds directly to the Royal Commission’s finding that systemic oversight is essential to preventing veteran suicide. By giving the Commissioner a clear statutory framework and coercive powers for special inquiries, the Bill maximises the chances of identifying and reforming policies or practices that harm wellbeing [Judgment].
Transparent public reporting on the state of the defence and veteran ecosystem promotes accountability across government, encouraging continuous improvement in veteran services and fostering trust among current and former ADF members and their families. An empowered oversight body complements existing agencies by focusing on system-wide factors rather than individual cases, driving reforms that yield the greatest overall benefit.
While oversight of veteran wellbeing is important, the core functions of the Commission already operate under Part VIIIE of the Defence Act with dedicated funding. Repealing and re-enacting these provisions in a standalone Act risks creating duplication and transitional complexity without a proportional improvement in outcomes [Judgment].
The additional bureaucracy—increasing statutory reporting, separate governance arrangements and new secrecy and offence regimes—may divert resources away from frontline support services at a time when veterans’ mental-health funding is already under pressure. At $44.5 million over four years, the standalone structure may not deliver commensurate gains in suicide prevention or wellbeing.
2025-11-27
House of Representatives
Before House of Representatives
Unspecified
Prime Minister and Cabinet
National Security, Social Support / Welfare, Democratic Institutions