Bill
Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025
passed, as at 2026-04-01. Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Prime Minister and Cabinet
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2025-11-27
- second reading — 2025-11-27
- second reading — 2026-02-11
- second reading — 2026-02-11
- third reading — 2026-02-11
- introduced — 2026-03-03
- second reading — 2026-03-03
- second reading — 2026-03-30
- second reading — 2026-03-30
- committee — 2026-03-30
- third reading — 2026-03-30
- passed — 2026-03-30
- royal assent — 2026-04-01
Divisions
No divisions recorded. Most questions are decided on the voices; this does not establish that a bill was unopposed.
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the Bills Digest; not the record, as at 2025-11-27.
This bill is part of a package that would create an independent Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner under a new standalone law.
The Commissioner could start inquiries on their own into systemic issues affecting veteran suicide prevention and wellbeing, and would report publicly to the Minister and Parliament.
The bill would remove references to serving Australian Defence Force members from the Commissioner’s functions but define 'veteran' to include current and former members.
- Repeals Part VIIIE of the Defence Act.
- Establishes the Commissioner and the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission under a standalone Act.
- Strengthens the Commissioner’s independence by stating they are not subject to direction on how an inquiry is conducted, its terms, timing or priority.
- Expands the composition of the Commission to include Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, contractors, consultants and other helpers.
- Adds a function allowing the Commissioner to monitor and report on matters permitted by other Commonwealth laws.
- Excludes the Commissioner from making findings of civil or criminal wrongdoing or determining the cause of a death.
Veterans, including current and former Australian Defence Force members, their families, and Commonwealth agencies involved in defence and veteran policy.
Sources
em
digest
billhome
frl act