Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026

Summary

The Australian Defence Force, Department of Veterans' Affairs, and Department of Defence will gain new legal powers to better support current and former military personnel and their families in preventing suicide and improving wellbeing. The changes amend the Defence Act 1903 and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 to create a dedicated legal framework for health and wellbeing support, allow better sharing of data between Defence and Veterans' Affairs for research and claims processing, establish proper clinical governance standards for Defence hospitals and health services, and enable Defence to contact families directly with support information. This matters because the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide found that the military personnel face significantly elevated suicide risks, particularly during transition out of service, and the current legal framework didn't adequately support prevention, early intervention, or coordinated care across Defence and civilian health systems.

What happens at this stage

The main debate on whether the chamber supports the broad purpose of the bill. Members speak to its overall merits and concerns rather than the fine print. The government outlines its policy intentions; the opposition and crossbench put their case. This is the stage that determines whether the bill proceeds at all.

Next: Consideration in Detail (House) or Committee of the Whole (Senate), where the bill is examined clause by clause