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Annual Reports Contents >> DVA Annual Report >> Outcome 1—Compensation and Support

Outcome 1—Compensation and Support

Strategies
Output 1.1—Income support
Output 1.2—Compensation
Output 1.4—Housing support

Eligible veterans, their war widows, widows and dependants have access to appropriate compensation and income support in recognition of the effects of war service.

Outcome 1 is achieved through four outputs:

• 1.1 Income Support
• 1.2 Compensation
• 1.3 Veterans’ Review Board
• 1.4 Housing

The Veterans’ Review Board is responsible for its own annual report, which appears as a separate publication.

Description

Repatriation benefits to compensate veterans and their dependants for war-caused disability or death were introduced during World War I. In 1936, the system was extended by the introduction of the service pension, an income support measure. The service pension was introduced to recognise that the intangible effects of service in operations against the enemy could result in loss of earning power and premature ageing.

Compensation and income support remain the basis of the Australian repatriation system. Traditionally, VEA benefits are only extended to those with peacekeeping or war service, although normal peacetime service was covered for the period 1972–1994. While repatriation benefits are normally only extended to Australian veterans, the service pension has also been extended to eligible veterans of Commonwealth and allied countries and to Australian, Commonwealth and allied merchant mariners.

DVA works with the veteran community to ensure that information about repatriation entitlements and benefits is available and that veterans and their dependants are supported in the claims process. The Department continues to work to improve the efficiency and fairness of the claims and review processes and to ensure that entitlements and benefits are delivered as accurately, efficiently and quickly as possible.