This week the Attorney General Michaelia Cash announced that the commission would be given an additional 12 months to recognise the broad scope of inquiries into defence and veteran death by suicide and account for the ongoing impact of COVID-19.

The final report is now due on June 17 June 2024. The Interim Report remains due on 11 August 2022.

At Monday's hearing in Canberra commission chair Nick Kaldas said that "in approving this extension, the Government acknowledged a significant volume of work " the commission has done to date.

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And the extra year will allow the commission "to undertake a more detailed inquiry" to ultimately provide the best outcomes for the defence community.

But he also recognised the intensity of the task at hand for those working on the commission.

"Finally, to safeguard our own workforce and that of the Commonwealth staff who are responding to our demands and participating in our inquiries. The work has been intense," he said.

The commission was established on 8 July 2021 and so far, it has received 1384 submissions and 344 requests for private sessions.

Sixty four per cent of requests for private sessions would like a face-to-face meeting with a Commissioner and 36 per cent want video or phone meeting.

Of those, 70 per cent of requests are from ex-serving members and 14 per cent from currently serving.

Compared with the general Australian population, suicide rates were 24 per cent higher for ex-serving males and 102 per cent (or 2.02 times) higher for ex-serving females, between 2002 and 2019 - according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

David Thorley from the David Thorley Veterans Solicitor Law Practice said that the Department of Veterans Affairs shouldn't wait for the final reports to make changes to the way we treat mental health in the defence community.

But he said the extra year is "absolutely fundamental" to fully understanding the depth of the issue at hand.

President of the Wagga RSL sub-branch David Gardiner said the extension shows that the government is taking the issue seriously. And with the commission due to make its way to Wagga in 2022, he urges people to come forward.

"The more people they hear from the better it will be for everybody," he said.

The president of Wagga's Defence Shed Jason Frost, said with the Wagga hearing and the interim report, it is a big year for the defence community.

"It's good news, we have had a lot of doctors, veterans and the community coming forward to submit evidence. We are looking forward to hosting the commission here in Wagga later this year," he said.

"Our focus is to highlight evidence of the dangerous side-effects hardcore pharmaceuticals impacting DVA patients and suicidal ideation. Also to show evidence on what is working, including breakthrough medications, holistic treatments, education and social support."

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