Royal commissioner accuses ADF of ‘too much talk and not enough action’ on veteran suicide

Nick Kaldas has questioned whether Defence and government department are ‘just going through the motions’ in investigating veteran suicides. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

The head of the royal commission into defence and veteran suicide has complained of “far too much talk and not enough action” on military personnel taking their own lives.

In a blistering speech on Wednesday, commissioner Nick Kaldas accused government departments of “stonewalling” the royal commission’s work, even though the “senseless loss of life” was a national crisis.