About the Office of the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention

On 5 February 2020, the Australian Government announced the establishment of a new permanent National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention (the National Commissioner).

The Australian Government has announced that the National Commissioner will be established by legislation as a permanent, independent statutory office holder, with relevant powers of a Royal Commission, to inquire into, and make annual findings and recommendations to the Government about, the systemic issues and factors contributing to deaths by suicide of serving Australian Defence Force members and veterans.

This includes conducting an independent review of the more than 400 deaths by suicide that have occurred since 2001.

The National Commissioner will be administratively housed within the Attorney-General's Department. Staff of the Office of the National Commissioner will be employees of the Attorney-General’s Department.

Staff of the Office of the National Commissioner will be responsible for supporting the National Commissioner’s operations, including establishing and implementing its operational policies, procedures and practices.

Trauma-informed and restorative principles will underpin the policies, procedures and practices of the National Commissioner and their Office.

Engagement with the Australian Defence Force member and veteran community, and their families, will be a strong focus for the Office of the National Commissioner.

The contribution of families, veterans, advocacy groups, and other interested stakeholders will be of key importance to the work of the National Commissioner.

Strong engagement will also be needed across a range of Australian Government agencies, State and Territory Governments, and Coroners, to ensure the effective operations of the National Commissioner.

The Australian Government has announced an Interim National Commissioner will be appointed, pending the passage of legislation, to enable the independent review of past cases to commence.

The Office of the National Commissioner will be based in Canberra.

Our Opportunities

We are seeking the services of candidates from a range of disciplines who are interested in working in the following functions in the Office of the National Commissioner :

The roles will be Canberra based. Staff may need to be available to undertake frequent travel.

We are committed to providing a flexible, diverse and inclusive workplace. We are open to a range of flexible work arrangements including part-time, job-sharing, and flexible work hours.

Who are we looking for?

We seek people who bring external ideas, diverse experience, and global perspectives, and are willing to explore innovative ways of working.

People who work for us will display leadership at all levels, apply information effectively in order to solve problems, and work collaboratively to achieve outcomes.

Successful candidates will join a supportive, friendly and collaborative team, working in a fast paced and dynamic environment.

Specific requirements across all of the roles :

Please refer to the for more detail.

The range and nature of work within the Office of the National Commissioner requires a workforce that reflects our diverse society.

As a staff member of the Office of the National Commissioner, and an employee of the Attorney-General’s Department, you will :

To see further information regarding our support for our employees, please see our .