Campbell insisted, however, that he and Defence Department Secretary Greg Moriarty had been trying to tackle the problem of suicide and suicidality since they were appointed in 2018 and 2017 respectively.

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Royal Commissioner Nick Kaldas welcomed Campbell’s apology, saying it would go a long way to helping provide closure to the families of defence personnel and veterans who had taken their lives.

“People are entitled to know their pain has been acknowledged,” he said.

Kaldas said the royal commission had already prompted reforms and established a clear connection between military service and suicidality.

“I don’t think that can be denied any more,” he said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles told the royal commission earlier this month that the government was committed to implementing the thrust of its final recommendations when they were received and that he knew that “we will not be able to escape the judgment of history.”

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Analysis prepared by the royal commission suggested the suicide rate for serving males in the ADF was 30 per cent higher than the male-employed population nationally between 2011 and 2020. It was also higher for females but not statistically significant.

Kaldas last year blasted the Defence establishment for failing to move urgently to prevent former service members from taking their lives, saying it appeared to be going through the motions rather than taking meaningful action.

In a fiery speech to the National Press Club, Kaldas said: “Defence’s approach to investigating and reporting on suicides has progressed at a snail’s pace, and we are yet to find sufficient evidence of urgency in responding to these complex issues holistically even with this royal commission on foot.”

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