Bill
Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner 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
- committee — 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
- other — 2026-03-31
- passed — 2026-03-31
- royal assent — 2026-04-01
Divisions
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 establish an independent Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner under a new standalone act.
The Commissioner could investigate systemic issues related to veteran suicide prevention and wellbeing, and report publicly to the Minister and Parliament.
The Commissioner would not be allowed to make findings of civil or criminal wrongdoing, determine the manner or cause of a veteran’s death, or investigate a single use of a power or duty.
- Establish the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner as an independent office under its own legislation.
- Repeal Part VIIIE of the Defence Act.
- Expand the Commissioner’s functions to cover veterans’ families.
- Strengthen the Commissioner’s independence from direction on inquiries.
- Allow the Commission to include Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, contractors, consultants and other helpers.
- Enable the Commissioner to start inquiries on their own initiative into suicide prevention or veteran wellbeing.
Veterans, their families, and Australian Defence Force members would be affected by the Commissioner’s inquiries and reports.
Sources
em
digest
billhome
frl act