Commissioner leading defence force reform wants to 'hold people to account'

Penny McKay, the first commissioner of Australia's Defence and Veterans' Service Commission (DVSC), is determined to implement lasting systemic change within the defense force and related agencies. Speaking publicly for the first time since her May appointment, McKay emphasized that her team is in it for the long haul, acknowledging that significant change may not happen overnight. The DVSC was established in response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, which identified systemic and cultural failures as a major driver of self-harm among veterans and serving members, declaring it a national crisis.

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Change might not happen overnight. But we will be here for the long haul.

Operating from an office near Parliament House, McKay leads the organization tasked with ensuring the outcomes of the Royal Commission translate into concrete actions, not just empty promises. She stated that her team is "not naive" to the challenges ahead and is committed to transparency, aiming to "shine a light on what's happening in defence and in DVA and other agencies that are connected to wellbeing." McKay explicitly stated her intention "to hold people to account where required."

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We want to be transparent about what we're doing: our job is shine a light on what's happening in defence and in DVA and other agencies that are connected to wellbeing.

McKay's advisory group is already focused on the government's response to the Royal Commission's recommendations. The commission itself was created as a direct recommendation, envisioned as an independent watchdog with enhanced powers to improve suicide prevention and wellbeing for current and former service members. This role encompasses a wide range of issues, including military sexual violence, bullying, workplace culture, and the backlogs affecting compensation and service claims.

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I want to hold people to account where required.

McKay acknowledged the skepticism surrounding the possibility of genuine cultural change, noting that many of the issues the commission addresses are long-standing. While she avoids making unrealistic promises to "change the world," she affirmed her team's commitment to "try our damnedest to do it." The commission seeks the meaningful implementation of reforms and plans to lead an independent military sexual violence inquiry later this year, focusing on future-oriented solutions informed by firsthand knowledge.

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I'm keenly aware that the issues that we're dealing with are not new largely. In fact they're long-standing issues.