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Defence Force

Revealed: Most recent estimate of New Zealand's veteran suicide rates

Etched in stone all around the country are memorials remembering our veterans and where they died.

But there's another group of fallen soldiers closer to home who aren't officially marked anywhere.

"Officially we know nothing because the work, the mahi hasn't been done," No Duff co-founder Aaron Wood told Newshub.

The mahi to find out how many veterans take their own lives each year.

Veterans suicide rate estimation

The only recent work is from a 2018 draft research paper undertaken by a member of the New Zealand Defence Force which has not been peer-reviewed.

However, it takes into account estimated suicide rates between 2005 and 2014.

The paper identified 62 matches on record.

"It could be and probably is significantly worse and we base that on the assessment that the 2018 report was a data matching exercise between New Zealand Defence Force records and Coronial office records," Wood added.

Although the report warns of a number of sources of potential errors in the data due to the limited scope, its aim was "that this would be the first step in identifying the factors which may enable future intervention strategies".

"There's no real solid data around how many veterans actually do take their lives per year," RSA support services manager Danny Nelson told Newshub.

'Australia has probably neglected veterans'

Australia is already two years into a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

It's estimated more than 1600 former and active military personnel took their own lives between 1997 and 2020.

"I think generally speaking the community in Australia has probably neglected veterans and their needs and more needs to be done," Royal Commission chair Nick Kaldas told Newshub from a recent hearing in Adelaide.

More than 750 recommendations have come from as many as 57 previous inquiries but very little were ever implemented by the Australian government.

"We've had a number of prominent suicides where people have left notes and said 'I can't cope with whatever injuries I've got and I'm not getting anywhere getting my claims processed'."

The Commission is due to report back next year and there are calls for a similar level of inquiry in New Zealand.

"It'll identify the veteran population for a start. It'll identify those who have mental health issues and again those who have fallen through the cracks," Nelson added. 

'Several reasons why there is a gap' - Veteran Affairs Minister

Veteran Affairs Minister Peeni Henare declined to do an interview but issued a statement.

"There are several reasons why there is a gap in knowledge about veteran suicide in New Zealand," Henare said.

"In New Zealand a death can only be classified as suicide by the coroner. Suicide data is reported by both the Ministry of Health and the Coronial Services of New Zealand.

"Veterans are not a specific group identified by this data. This makes it difficult to conduct any rigorous research or draw any firm conclusions about veteran suicide rates in this country."

Newshub asked the minister whether New Zealand would consider a Royal Commission into veteran suicides.

"This is not something that would be considered until after the General Election."

That's too late for some.

"I'd like to see the Government action its statutory, ethical, and moral responsibility to support veterans, the veterans that it alone creates. Therefore, it has a duty of care to support," Wood said.

Where to find help and support