Greens spokesperson for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, today called on the government to act on the recommendations of the recent Senate inquiry initiated by the Greens into veterans’ mental health in light of reports that another veteran who was administered mefloquine has committed suicide after a long history of mental illness.

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, Greens Defence and Veterans’ Affairs spokesperson, welcomed the release today of the Senate Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee’s report into the mental health of ADF veterans.

Senator Whish-Wilson initiated the inquiry in 2015 on the back of concerns about the rate of mental health problems among veterans, including the rates of suicide and the extent of homelessness.

The report shows that the rate of suicidality—thinking of suicide or making a plan—is nearly three times higher among veterans than it is in the general population.

Greens spokesperson for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson will be attending the first public hearing of the Senate Inquiry into Veterans’ mental health tomorrow in Canberra.

Greens spokesperson for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator Whish-Wilson, said, “The entire nation was shocked by the revelations of the recent Four Corners episode regarding the prevalence of mental illness and PTSD amongst our defence force personnel returning from deployments and other service.

The Greens spokesperson for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, provided the following comments on the ABC’s Four Corners episode, “Bringing the War Home,” by Quentin McDermott and Mary Fallon into the lack of support for returning veterans.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “We send these men and women off to fight wars on our behalf and yet we don’t do enough to help them cope with the horrors they faced during their service once they return.