A scathing assessment of an uncaring culture and inadequate support services in defence and veterans affairs services has prompted a call for urgent changes to reduce the high level of suicide among veterans.
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide on Thursday released a 300-page interim report, including 13 recommendations.
The report flagged the commission's concern that so little action has been taken by previous governments to address long standing problems within defence and veterans affairs. That's despite 50 previous reports and more than 750 recommendations since 2000.
"We have been dismayed to come to understand the limited ways that Australian governments have responded to these previous inquiries and reports," the commissioners wrote.
The Department of Veterans' Affairs' compensation claims system was identified as one of the most urgent areas of reform.
The report said the dysfunctional claims processing system was repeatedly identified by witnesses as a major source of trauma and distress for veterans.
As as of May 31 the DVA had 41,799 claims in its backlog, a situation which "should not be allowed to continue".
It recommended the backlog be cleared no later than March 2024.
"We have heard from many veterans and families that the claims system is complex and difficult to navigate and that veterans wait for long periods of time to receive a decision about their claims - sometimes more than 300 days," the report said.
The report also called on the government to "improve the administration of the claims system" by July 2024.
The current public service staffing level caps within the DVA, it said, needed to be scrapped on a "permanent basis".
This reflects evidence before the inquiry that the DVA's heavy reliance on junior labour hire staff had been a major factor in processing delays.
The findings are based on evidence gathered by chairman Nick Kaldas and fellow commissioners James Douglas QC and Dr Peggy Brown during eight months of private and public hearings across the nation.
During the inquiry DVA secretary Liz Cosson admitted the department's claims system was "not fit" for the needs of veterans and defence members.
Ms Cosson also conceded this had caused such significant distress that may have contributed to the high rates of suicides among injured veterans.
In a statement issued on Thursday, chairman Mr Kaldas said: "We know that the long wait to receive entitlements can have a terrible effect on veterans' mental health and in some cases leads to suicide and suicidality.
"Behind each claim is a veteran who needs support, and it is gravely important that this assistance is provided as quickly as possible - lives and livelihoods depend on it."
Another key recommendation of the report was the need for urgent changes to simplify the notoriously complex veteran compensation and rehabilitation legislation by no later than July 2024.
Problems with the ADF's culture was also identified as "a risk factor for suicide and suicidality".
"We are concerned about a range of cultural issues within the ADF, and the negative impacts that these have had and continue to have," the commissioners wrote.
The report said the inquiry had heard from a number of witnesses who believed their loved ones would still be alive if there had not been such a stigma around reporting injuries and mental health issues.
Numerous witnesses had also testified about "inadequate support by commanding officers" and a culture where there was a lack of care.
"Recruits are often tormented if they are injured whilst undertaking activities that require medical attention," the report said.
"They are often told to 'suck it up', 'build a bridge and get over it', 'stop being a woos' (wuss) and many other demeaning or derogatory sayings."
The report said one of their "preliminary observations" was that an abusive culture and inadequate support systems were was risk factors "for suicide and suicidality".
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