By Holly Hales, Tess Ikonomou and Belad Al-karkhey in Melbourne

Sexual harassment in the defence force continues to be a contributing risk factor for some members’ mental health and wellbeing, a royal commission has found.

More women reported sexual harassment and less safe work environments than men over the last decade, according to evidence from previous hearings.

The chief of the Australian Defence Force acknowledged the ongoing issue at the final public hearing day for the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

General Angus Campbell says the ADF is working to make military members, particularly women, feel more “confident that they can raise concerns”.

“(These cases) would then be dealt with in a manner that acknowledges their preferences of action (moving forward),” he said.

The chief highlighted cases when reporting had lead to disciplinary or civil action, or the person chose “not to pursue” and was simply supported.

Counsel member Erin Longbottom KC criticised the general’s lack of talk on proactive measures taken to address “unacceptable behaviour.”

“Again, you’re just generally talking about reactive measures with sexual misconduct,” she said.

“Those policies have to do more than just have a system that responds well when sexual misconduct occurs, and also needs to proactively take steps to cancel risks.”

General Campbell agreed to the counsel member’s statement that culture is only a protective factor when the system is functioning well.

Poor culture continues to be a significant challenge whether it is “expressed in the smallest groups or larger settings”, the general responded.

“The more people involved in a cultural setting, the more likely that its weaknesses are going to be identified and the smaller the spaces, the more potential there is for misuse of power,” he said.

General Campbell acknowledged that unacceptable behaviour had been a persistent issue for decades.

More than 25 per cent of members report experiences of unacceptable behaviour, Ms Longbottom said, a statistic that has “largely stayed static since at least 2018”.

General Campbell apologised ‘unreservedly’ to personnel and veterans for the military’s failures, while pledging to do better.

“Our people deserve and should rightly expect the support and care they need both during and after their service,” he said.

“I acknowledge that this has not always been the case and tragically it’s led to the deaths by suicide of some of our people.

“Defence is committed, and I am committed to doing better.

“I apologise unreservedly for these deficiencies.”

General Campbell said the courage displayed by those who came forward to share their experiences was deeply admirable.

“I sincerely appreciate the efforts of those who have contributed to my learning and our deeper understanding of suicide and suicidality and its enduring aftermath,” he said.

The defence force chief said he and his colleagues who had served in the military for decades were committed to addressing the failures.

Defence had a “great deal of work to do” to win back the trust of veterans who had been treated poorly, he said.

The ADF had people of different ranks attending the hearings every day so the evidence given at the royal commission would flow through the military for generations to come, he said.

General Campbell is the last and only witness appearing at the inquiry in Sydney on Thursday.

The royal commission will be adjourned after Thursday’s hearing until the Ceremonial Closing Sitting in Sydney on August 28.

Its final report is due to be handed down in September.