New Inquiry Into Sexual Violence in Australian Defence Force to Proceed After a Year

CANBERRA, Australia—A long-awaited independent inquiry into sexual violence within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is finally moving ahead, a year after the federal government agreed to establish the investigation in response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

Minister for Veteran Affairs Matt Keogh highlighted the scale of the problem and the need for structural reform at the National Press Club.

“There is no shying away from Defence still not getting this right,” he said.

“Lots has been done but people—especially women—are still experiencing this behaviour. This is not acceptable.”

The Defence and Veteran Services Commission (DVSC) will conduct the inquiry and appoint an assistant commissioner to lead the work.

The proposed scope covers 11 areas, including the effectiveness of the military justice system, how perpetrator accountability compares with civilian processes, and the barriers that discourage reporting.

The Royal Commission previously heard extensive evidence that victims feared punishment or retaliation from their chain of command, with some saying they were shunned, isolated or even medically discharged after reporting abuse.

Keogh acknowledged that history, describing sexual violence in Defence as a direct contradiction of the organisation’s values.

“The scourge of sexual violence within our defence force is completely inconsistent with this, and we must do better at tackling this challenge,” he said.

Systemic Failures 

Keogh said language reform is part of the cultural shift, noting that Defence now refers to all sexual offences, harassment, and discrimination collectively as sexual violence, rather than “misconduct.”

The minister outlined ongoing collaboration with the Australian Human Rights Commission on implementing the Defence Respect at Work framework, a tailored system recognising the unique mix of military members, public servants, and contractors.

Defence policies have been updated to more clearly define sexual offences, strengthen reporting requirements, and mandate training for personnel involved in managing cases.

By the end of 2025, the Human Rights Commission will deliver an initial assessment to guide action plans for each service.

While the military justice system has a distinct role, Keogh said, “Australian civilian law also applies to our ADF.”

He said inconsistent handling of complaints and the continued presence of offenders within the organisation had eroded trust.

“If there’s one message that I want perpetrators to take from my address today, it is this: if you engage in sexual violence, you can presume that you no longer have a job in our defence force,” he said.

ADF leadership has begun reinforcing that message internally. In October, the ADF chief issued an order of the day stating sexual violence has no place in the military. The government will back this position with legislative changes next year.

Stronger Penalties Planned

In a shift toward transparency, Keogh announced that from next week, Defence will begin reporting sexual and related offences to the National Police Reference System.

“This means that personnel who commit civilian equivalent offences can no longer hide their conduct within the military justice system,” he said.

The announcement comes just over a month after a class action on behalf of current and former ADF members who experienced sexual assault and harassment was lodged in the Federal Court. The first hearing took place on Dec. 2.

Royal Commission figures reveal serious under-reporting. Close to 800 sexual assaults were reported in the ADF over the past five years, with an estimated under-reporting rate of about 60 percent.

In 2022, 33 percent of men and 52 percent of women in permanent service reported experiencing misconduct in the previous 12 months.

Veterans’ Care Expanded

Keogh also highlights challenges facing veterans, particularly in regional Australia where access to healthcare and support services is inconsistent.

He said the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) has expanded access through local offices and new Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs.

“And there’s an opportunity with the new veteran and family wellbeing agency that we will be establishing to better coordinate all three of those different types of service delivery to make sure that we can best utilise the footprint,” he said.

He confirmed that starting next year, eligibility for the DVA Gold Card will widen, offering more comprehensive healthcare coverage to veterans who were previously excluded.

“The changes that we’ve made through the Vets Act … open up accessibility to the gold card to a range of veterans who previously never had access,” Keogh said.

Advocacy groups say expanding Gold Card eligibility could ease pressure on the DVA and improve retention, giving veterans confidence that lifelong care will be available.

A separate Senate inquiry is examining broader reforms to veterans’ entitlements, with Gold Card access among the key considerations.