Thanks for the perspective Jason. I have no military contact or even indirect connection (I once went to an open day at HMAS Cerberus in the 1970s) so hesitate to write about this sector. I take military workers as special cases due to the deploymernt possibility but I feel chastened now by not considering non-combatant military workplaces and activities. I will rethink and pay closer attention to the current Royal Commission as I already have a folder of reports, publications, Hansards and statements from it.
Reseearch has shown that we should not assume that those who suicide have a mental illhealth – https://safetyatworkblog.com/2022/06/23/not-all-suicides-have-a-mental-health-condition/

Workplace culture has been the big ticket item with the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide, and it should come as no surprise to any individual that has an interest in WHS, that workplaces where readily identifiable psychosocial health hazards exist, that suicide would be a realistic consequence.

IMO, the problem is with the way society currently perceives suicide. The fact that we now need to provide the contact number for Lifeline every time we raise the subject is a major problem. It automatically assumes (simplistically) that a person with suicidal thoughts will go and commit suicide simply because they read (or heard) about someone else taking their own life.

I think there is a bigger discussion to be had. However, it is not clear to me who should lead that discussion.

Thanks Woody. The trade unions and the Federal Government would likely argue that there is already an overwork campaign happening, but, IMO, their campaign is that people should get paid for when they work. Fair enough, but that does not address the overwork where people are getting paid for unhealthy and unsafe hours. The payment option could be interpreted a the equivalent of “danger money”.