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The Veterans’ Affairs Portfolio

Annual Report of the Repatriation Commission

Annual Report of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Annual Report of the National Treatment Monitoring Committee

Appendices

Index

Annual Reports Contents >> The Veterans’ Affairs Portfolio

The Veterans’ Affairs Portfolio

The Veterans’ Affairs portfolio is made up of a number of agencies responsible for carrying out government policy and implementing programs to fulfil Australia’s obligations to war veterans, members of the Australian Defence Force and their dependants.

Repatriation Commission

The Commission is responsible under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 for the granting of pensions, allowances and other benefits, providing treatment and other services, providing advice to the Minister on matters relating to the Act’s operation and, subject to the Minister’s control, generally administering the Act.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)

DVA provides administrative support to the Repatriation Commission in discharging its responsibilities to veterans and other entitled people. The Department administers the Federal Government’s commemorations program and the Defence Service Homes Act 1918, under which subsidised loans for housing and housing-related benefits are provided to eligible veterans. Since December 1999, DVA has also been responsible for administering the Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service, which provides benefits to members of the Australian Defence Force under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988.

Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG)

OAWG has three distinct roles: to maintain war cemeteries and individual war graves within Australia and the region, as agents of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission; to officially commemorate eligible veterans who have died post-war and whose deaths are accepted as being caused by war service; and to provide and maintain national memorials overseas. The Director is a statutory office holder responsible to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Veterans’ Children Education Boards (VCEB)

The boards are responsible to the Repatriation Commission for matters concerning the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme in each State.

Veterans’ Review Board (VRB)

The VRB is an independent statutory body. Its role is to resolve appeals by those veterans and their dependants who are dissatisfied with Repatriation Commission decisions on their disability pension or attendant allowance entitlements. The VRB is the second level of the repatriation determining system introduced in 1985. Under the system, delegates of the Repatriation Commission (determining officers of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs) make an initial determination which can be appealed to the VRB. If not satisfied with a VRB decision, a veteran or dependant can appeal further to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Australian War Memorial (AWM)

The AWM is responsible for honouring Australia’s war dead and for commemorating and interpreting the nation’s military history and heritage. The Director is a statutory officer directly responsible to the Council of the Australian War Memorial, which is in turn responsible to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.

Repatriation Medical Authority (RMA)

The RMA is an independent statutory body. Its role is to determine statements of principles (SoPs) in relation to medical or scientific evidence connecting injuries, diseases or death with the circumstances of a particular veteran’s service.

Specialist Medical Review Council (SMRC)

The SMRC is an independent statutory body whose role is to review the contents of a Statement of Principles (SoPs) and to review decisions by the RMA not to issue a SoP.

Portfolio legislation

A New Tax System (Bonuses for Older Australians) Act, 1999, Parts 1, 2 and 5 insofar as they relate to members of the veteran community

Anzac Day Act 1995

Australian War Memorial Act 1980

Compensation (Japanese Internment) Act 2001
Defence Act 1903, in relation to paragraph 124(1)(qba)

Defence Service Homes Act 1918
Papua New Guinea (Members of the Forces Benefits) Act 1957
Repatriation Institutions (Transfer) Act 1992
Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
Veterans’ Entitlements (Rewrite) Transition Act 1991
Veterans’ Entitlements (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1986

War Graves Act 1980
War Precautions Act Repeal Act 1920

Annual reports

This book contains five annual reports:

• the Repatriation Commission annual report (submitted under section 215 of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986);
• the Department of Veterans’ Affairs annual report;
• the annual report on the Defence Service Homes (DSH) scheme (submitted under section 50B of the Defence Service Homes Act 1918). This information can be found under Output 1.4 of the DVA annual report on page 53 and in the Our Performance chapter on page 154. Before 1989–90, annual reports on the DSH scheme were prepared by the former DSH Corporation and were published separately;
• the annual report of the Office of Australian War Graves, submitted under section 13(1) of the War Graves Act 1980. This information can be found under Output 3.2 of the DVA annual report on page 97 and in the Our Performance chapter on page 166. Prior to 1994–95, OAWG published its own annual report to Parliament; and
• the annual report of the National Treatment Monitoring Committee (NATMOC), submitted under paragraph 16 of the Repatriation Private Patient Principles determined under section 90A of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986. The NATMOC annual report can be found at page 241. Prior to 1996–97 NATMOC published a separate annual report.

This book does not include the annual reports of:

• the Veterans’ Review Board;
• the Australian War Memorial;
• the Repatriation Medical Authority; or
• the Specialist Medical Review Council.

These agencies submit separate annual reports to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.

Further information

Information about the Repatriation Commission can be obtained by contacting the Secretary to the Repatriation Commission, PO Box 21, Woden, ACT 2606, (02) 6289 4873.
Enquiries and comments about this report and further information about the Department may be directed to the Branch Head, Parliamentary and Corporate Affairs, (02) 6289 6418.
Information about media releases may be obtained from the Media and Communication Section, (02) 6289 6578, fax (02) 6289 6025. Information about publications is available from the Publications and Forms Unit, (02) 6289 6543, fax (02) 6289 6025.
Enquiries and comments about the Office of Australian War Graves should be directed to the Administrative Officer, (02) 6289 6527, fax (02) 6289 4861.
The postal address for all enquiries is PO Box 21, Woden, ACT 2606.
Information on Veterans’ Affairs is also available on the Internet at www.dva.gov.au
The 2001–02 Annual Reports of the Repatriation Commission, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the National Treatment Monitoring Committee are available at: www.dva.gov.au/media/aboutus/annual02/Annrpt02.htm