Defence Amendment (Sexual Assault Prevention, Intervention and Response Commission) Bill 2025

# Defence Amendment (Sexual Assault Prevention, Intervention and Response Commission) Bill 2025 ## What it does This bill creates a new independent commission called SAPIR (Sexual Assault Prevention, Intervention and Response Commission) to tackle sexual assault in the Australian Defence Force. The commission will be led by a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners, with their own staff, and will focus on prevention, education, victim support, reporting, and holding people accountable. ## Why it matters Sexual assault in the military has been a persistent problem that's damaged trust in the institution and harmed service members. Having a dedicated, independent body with real authority could mean faster investigations, better support for survivors, and actual cultural change rather than promises that don't stick. ## Key details - **The goal is explicit**: zero tolerance and zero incidence of sexual assault in the Defence Force - **It comes into effect three months after Parliament approves it**, giving the government time to set up the new commission and appoint leadership - **The bill is just the skeleton right now** — the excerpt provided doesn't include the full powers, funding, or enforcement mechanisms, which would be in the complete legislation Parliament will debate