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Department OverviewOur MissionDVA exists to serve members of Australia's veteran and defence force communities, war widows and widowers, widows and dependants, through programs of care, compensation, commemoration and defence support services. Our VisionTo achieve excellence in service delivery Our ApproachWe will realise our vision by:
We will monitor and report publicly on our performance. Our ValuesWe honour those who have served in defence of our nation, respect the service of the Australian Defence Force and uphold the values of the Australian Public Service. Integrity, honesty, fairness and openness will underpin our:
Serving the veteran and defence force communitiesThe Department administers services to entitled members of the veteran and defence force communities. Under the Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service (MCRS), defence force members receive compensation and rehabilitation benefits and services for injuries and disease accepted as being related to service in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA), members of the veteran community receive a range of services from the Department, ranging from pensions, health care and counselling to advice and information.
Note: see Table 97 in Appendix A for notes on each conflict. VEA benefitsThe Department pays two types of pensions under the VEA: income support pensions and disability compensation pensions.
* There are an additional 43 321 partners, widows/widowers and children of incapacitated veterans also receiving payment. Numbers reflect net compensation population. As at 30 June 2003, 335 160 members of the veteran community were receiving health care and support services under the VEA.
As at 30 June 2003, the net number of beneficiaries receiving any benefits administered by DVA was 502 437.
Note: MCRS benefitsEntitlements to benefits under the MCRS are determined once liability for the injury or disease has been established. The MCRS makes two types of payments: lump sums for permanent impairment and incapacity payments when claimants are unfit for work.
The MCRS also provides rehabilitation services and payment of medical and related accounts. Outcome/Output structureThe Department's business structure consists of five outcomes. Each outcome contains a series of outputs under which the Department's business is grouped. These are used to measure the Department's performance. Outcome 1—Compensation and supportEligible veterans, their war widows and widowers and dependants have access to appropriate compensation and income support in recognition of the effects of war service. Output Group 1:1.1 Deliver a means-tested income support pension and other allowances to veterans and dependants. Outcome 2—HealthEligible veterans, their war widows and widowers and dependants have access to health and other care services that promote and maintain self-sufficiency, well-being and quality of life. Output Group 2:2.1 Arrangements for delivery of services. 2.2 Provide counselling, education, community development, rehabilitation and referral services for veterans and their families. Outcome 3—CommemorationsThe achievements and sacrifice of those men and women who served Australia and its allies in war, defence and peacekeeping services are acknowledged and commemorated. Output Group 3:1.1 Provide funding and support for commemorative initiatives and grants in recognition of Australia's veterans, and promote community awareness about their service. 3.2 Maintain war cemeteries, memorials and post-war commemorations in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Process claims for post-war commemorations. Outcome 4—Service deliveryThe needs of the veteran community are identified, they are well informed of community and specific services and they are able to access such services. Output Group 4:4.1 Provide communication and community support and development services to providers and the veteran community, including veterans' local support groups. Outcome 5—Defence force servicesCurrent and former members of the Australian Defence Force who suffer an injury or disease which is causally related to employment in the ADF are provided with compensation and rehabilitation benefits and services. Output Group 5:5.1 Provide incapacity payments, non-economic lump sums for injuries resulting in permanent impairment and payments to dependants of deceased employees. In addition to the above outcomes and their corresponding outputs, there is a range of services that are classified as enabling activities and support the work carried out under the outcomes. Costs for these services are attributed across all of the outcomes. Note: The wording for Outcome 3 was changed during 2002–03 to more accurately reflect the current terminology and practices in relation to the delivery of services under this outcome. The 2003–04 Annual Report will reflect the changed outcome. Key Result AreasAchieving excellence in service deliveryThe following are the Key Result Areas as published in the 2002–03 DVA Corporate Plan. Effective service standards
Effective partnerships
Staff commitment
Effective business performance
Prudent financial and risk management
Operational structureThe Department has a National office located in Canberra and offices in all State capitals. The National office provides policy advice and support to the Minister and the Repatriation Commission and financial management, strategic and corporate support for the Department. DVA provides its services through a nationwide network of:
See Appendix K for further information. National Office organisation as at 30 June 2003 State Office organisation NSW, Vic & QLD as at 30 June 2003 State Office organisation WA, SA & Tas as at 30 June 2003 Department of Veterans' Affairs and military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service sites - 2003 Developments in Compensation and SupportDuring the year, DVA implemented further quality assurance systems in Disability Compensation and made a number of enhancements to existing systems across the Income Support, Disability Compensation and Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service programs. A number of quality assurance initiatives were implemented using system enhancements to provide monitoring and reporting tools. Comprehensive training was also provided for decision-makers and inquiries staff in relation to residential aged care funding issues. Work proceeded on a new military compensation scheme, based on proposals from the Tanzer Review of the Military Compensation Scheme. The scheme will involve a compensation benefit structure drawing on the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, with features of the VEA built in, including a safety net where VEA benefits are more generous than those under the current military compensation scheme. Elements of an Exposure Draft Bill for the new scheme have been prepared by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and released on 24 June 2003. Key Defence service and ex-service organisation representatives will be consulted over a two-month period. The Bill is expected to be introduced in the Parliament in the latter half of 2003 with a view to passage and implementation by mid 2004. The Electronic Document Management (EDM) Project was initiated early in the 2002–03 financial year following a series of feasibility trials in 2001–02. Detailed business analysis exercises conducted during 2001–02 identified potential improvements to efficiency and quality of service delivery to the veteran community and resulted in the redesign of some business processes. A considerable investment in information technology systems and infrastructure will be required and a business case is being prepared. During the year, a project was initiated to develop a module in the Departmental Management Information System (DMIS) to support Compensation business. This will provide online access to a wide range of information for Compensation managers and staff that will greatly assist management processes and decision-making for improving business performance. The Division assisted the Repatriation Commission in organising a number of forums in which senior departmental staff and ex-service organisation representatives discussed the Clarke report in order to provide the Government with feedback on its recommendations. Developments in HealthThe Department maintained its watching brief on developments in health service delivery and changes in the broader health environment. This included a strong focus on the use, where appropriate, of new technologies such as the Internet to provide a more direct and effective service for our veteran community. On 1 July 2002, eligibility for the Repatriation Health Card—For All Conditions (Gold Card) was extended to veterans of Australia's defence forces aged 70 or over who rendered qualifying service during post-World War II conflicts. It is estimated this will benefit a further 5 000 veterans by June 2006 at an estimated cost of $93.1 million over four years. The Veterans' Home Care program, which commenced in January 2001, continues to deliver positive results for the veteran community. The program aims to provide low-level care to help maintain the general health and well-being of veterans and war widows/widowers living independently in their homes. In the year to 30 June 2003, 65 148 veterans and war widows/widowers were assessed for Veterans' Home Care services, with more than $67.2 million paid for assessment and services including services provided under the Department's arrangements with State and Territory governments. In line with the Government Online Strategy, the program continues to provide services based on e-commerce in the aged and community care sector, with assessment and coordination organisations contracted in 54 regions and approximately 250 service provider organisations accessing the DVA web site to enter assessments and referrals, approve services and claim payment. Developments in CommemorationsThe introduction during the year of the new commemorations program Saluting Their Service continued the strong interest in recognising the service and sacrifice of Australia's service men and women in wars, conflicts and peace operations. Activities included three major commemorative missions to overseas battlefields, further funding for commemorative activities and memorials, enhanced education initiatives, the production of a range of new books concerning Australia's wartime history and the development of innovative web sites. The commemoration of major anniversaries has continued to be an important element of the program. The most notable of these in 2002–03 were the 60th anniversaries of major battles at Kokoda, Milne Bay and Buna, Gona and Sanananda in Papua New Guinea and El Alamein in Egypt. The Department organised commemorative missions by veterans and war widows to participate in memorial dedications and international ceremonies, respectively. The publicity associated with these missions heightened community understanding of the events they commemorated and their importance in our history. Three memorials commemorating the sacrifice of those who lost their lives in significant battles of the Papua New Guinea campaigns were dedicated in 2002. In August, the Isurava Memorial on the Kokoda Track, commemorating one of the most desperate battles in Australian history, was dedicated. In November 2002, the new Milne Bay Memorial, on the foreshores of Alotau, and the upgraded Popondetta Memorial were dedicated. The tenth anniversary of the Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial re-dedication service was held on 5 October 2002 with support from the Department. The event attracted more than 5 000 veterans and their families and friends. Seven Australian World War I veterans passed away in 2002–03. DVA supported the State Funerals for two of these veterans, Mr Albert Whitmore in South Australia and Mr Eric Abraham in Queensland. At 30 June 2003, there were seven known surviving Australian World War I veterans. The Australians at War Film Archive project commenced and will be implemented during the next two and a half years. It will result in a world class archive of 2 000 high-quality filmed interviews with representative veterans from all conflicts since World War I and an associated web site. The Department continues to provide assistance through the commemorations discretionary grants program for the preservation of community memorials and establishment of new community memorials. In 2002–03, 339 communities around Australia received assistance for memorials. A grant of $36 000 was made to the Hobart City Council for enhancements to the Victoria Cross Memorial at the Hobart Cenotaph, Tasmania. An identified dearth in primary school resources about Australia's wartime history and commemoration was addressed with the production of the education resource kit Time to Remember: Understanding Australia's Experiences of War and Peacekeeping, distributed to all Australian primary schools in April 2003. The Minister's visit to the Western Front battlefields of France and Belgium for Anzac Day ceremonies in April 2003 was organised by the Department. As part of her visit, the Minister opened an interactive display at the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ieper, Belgium. The interactive display is a gift from Australia announced by the Prime Minister in 2002 and funded under the commemorations program. It was developed by the Australian War Memorial and documents the Australian experience at the Third Battle of the Ypres Salient in 1917. The Office of Australian War Graves continues to strive to improve facilities for the annual Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Anzac Commemorative Site, Gallipoli. In 2003, additional security was taken, special purpose seating was provided and the range of other facilities available was improved. Construction began on a major new war memorial located at Hyde Park Corner in London, commemorating Australia's service alongside Britain in two world wars. The new memorial, to be completed by Remembrance Day 2003, will become the site for the annual London Anzac Day Dawn Service. Developments in Service DeliveryFollowing the high take-up rate of the simplified national '13', '1 300' and '1 800' telephone numbers last year, office-specific numbers were decommissioned. However, veterans can still call individual staff. During 2002–03, the Department began upgrading to a standardised Internet Protocol telephony solution. When fully operational, the new telephony will facilitate further improvements in the delivery of services. DVA's web site compliance with metadata and accessibility requirements was enhanced, providing better quality search results and increased access to information for people with disabilities. In addition, in response to the needs of Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service (MCRS) clients, MCRS Fact Sheets were revised and new Fact Sheets added to the web site. Other Fact Sheets were reviewed to address reported formatting difficulties. The web site provides a vital link to the Department for DVA's agency arrangements. DVA's new Service Charter was launched in February 2003 following a review that involved a series of discussion forums and evaluation of client service indicators. Concerns expressed by members of the defence force community led to timeliness measures for MCRS claim processing being documented in the revised Service Charter. Performance against Service Charter standards continues to be monitored, for example, through Veterans' Satisfaction Surveys. Tenders for the conduct of the Veterans' Satisfaction Survey were called in September 2002 to ensure value for money with the new six-monthly cycle and updated format. ORIMA Research was contracted for two years. A new Veterans' Affairs Network office opened in Tweed Heads in July 2002. This office has proven to be popular and deals with a high number of enquiries each day. In addition, the network of agency arrangements that deliver DVA information products in regional settings has expanded. Nine telecentre agency sites commenced operations in Western Australia and four regional agency sites in Victoria. A trial of three regional Centrelink agencies commenced in South Australia. Developments in Health ResearchWork continued through 2002–03 on a number of projects investigating the health of personnel who have had particular service or experiences. These projects included significant studies undertaken jointly with the Department of Defence under the Defence and DVA Links Project, some of which are funded by the Department's Health and Medical Applied Research Program. Studies of the health of Korean War veterans have been divided into three components—a mortality study, cancer incidence study and study of the overall health of Korean War veterans. The mortality study and cancer incidence study will be completed in the last half of 2003, and the general health study in 2004. A repeat mortality study of Vietnam veterans commenced in 2002–03 to follow up the results of the study released in 1997. A consultative forum has been established and Scientific Advisory Committee appointed to oversee the conduct of the study. The study is being done in conjunction with a Vietnam veterans cancer incidence study. More than 80 per cent of Gulf War veterans responded to an invitation to participate in the Australian Gulf War Veterans' Health Study. The study was released in March 2003. It found that the death rate and cancer rate among Gulf War veterans was lower than the general population, but that Gulf War veterans were at a greater risk of developing psychological disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety. DVA has been commissioned by the Department of Defence to undertake a health study of personnel involved in maintenance of F-111 aircraft at RAAF Base Amberley, to determine the range and extent of possible health effects. Data continued to be collected during 2002–03 with analysis ongoing. The report of the study's findings is expected to be available later in 2003–04. The Department continued work on the cancer and mortality study of Australian participants in the British atomic testing program. Significant effort was directed towards improving the accuracy of the preliminary nominal roll of some 15 000 participants, in response to input from the public. The study is being undertaken in partnership with Adelaide University. The Department's Health and Medical Applied Research Program funded a number of diverse studies that focus on particular issues facing veterans, including bowel cancer screening, social isolation and physical activity. Developments in Defence Force ServicesThe Defence and DVA Links Project continues to play an important part in moving towards greater integration with the Defence portfolio. The project seeks to improve services for serving and ex-serving members and provide administrative efficiencies between the departments. The Deputy President of the Repatriation Commission co-chairs with the Deputy Secretary, Corporate, Department of Defence and the Repatriation Commissioner is a member of the Defence and DVA Links Project Review Board. The board has a broad role in looking at joint issues across the portfolio, with major emphases in the areas of health, transition management and records management. Transfer of Accounts Payable ServicesIn April 2002, DVA accepted a proposal by Queensland Clerical Solutions (QCS), Department of Defence, to provide DVA's accounts payable services. DVA has worked in close consultation with the Department of Defence to integrate processes and establish a Defence team dedicated to the processing of DVA accounts. There was a phased, State-by-State transition of the service from DVA to the Department of Defence from 1 November 2002. Developments in Support ServicesIT ServicesSteps were taken during the year to improve the strategic management and direction of DVA's IT business by establishing stronger linkages and alignment between the Corporate Plan, business area strategies and the provision of IT services. An IT Effectiveness Survey was conducted throughout the Department to determine the level of satisfaction with IT services in DVA. All staff were given the opportunity to participate, and positive results were recorded in the areas of service quality, courtesy and communication. Some concerns were expressed with operational performance. These are being directly addressed through improvements from the renegotiated outsourced arrangement including the provision of new technology infrastructure and modes of operation. As reported in the 2001–02 Annual Report, in May 2002 the Department extended its Strategic Information Services Agreement (SISA) with IBM Australia and IBM Global Services Australia for three months until February 2003, to enable negotiations on a new agreement. The renegotiated SISA, signed on 9 August 2002, extends the outsourcing agreement by three years to 12 February 2006 at an estimated cost of $90 million over the period. DVA participated actively in a range of Australian Government initiatives on information and communication technology. Records and Mail Management ProjectThe Records and Mail Management Project (RAMMP) was established in January 2002 to improve the Department's delivery of records and mail management services. This year, RAMMP reviewed the delivery of both these services. The RAMMP team is now developing a DVA strategy to improve DVA's management of its paper records to meet business needs and records storage requirements over the next five years. The DVA Executive will consider the strategy paper and costings early in the 2003–04 financial year. See Support Services for more information on RAMMP. Financial ResourcesThe Department's financial position and performance continue to be sound. The Department commenced planning to implement the recommendations of the Government's Budget Estimates Framework Review and upgrade the Financial Management Information System.
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