Department overview

Our Mission

To support those who serve or have served in defence of our nation and commemorate their service and sacrifice.

Who we support

Through the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, DVA supports:

veterans, war widows and widowers;
serving and former defence force members;
eligible Australian Federal Police members with overseas service; and
their dependants and carers.

How we support them (Our Role)

Providing compensation and income support entitlements.
Delivering health care and rehabilitation services.
Fulfilling Australia’s commitment to remember and honour those who serve our nation.

Our Values

We respect those who have served our nation and the members of the Australian Defence Force.

We uphold the values of the Australian Public Service.

Integrity, honesty, fairness and openness will underpin our approach to achieve and maintain excellence in everything we do.

Our Function

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs provides policy advice and administrative support to:

the Minister and the Australian Government;
the Repatriation Commission in the administration of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA); and
the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission in the administration of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCS) and for claims in relation to defence service and certain overseas police service covered by the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRCA).

The Department also administers the War Graves Act 1980, through the Office of Australian War Graves, and the Defence Service Homes Act 1918 (DSHA).

History

The Repatriation Department was established in 1918 in response to the large numbers of Australian veterans returning from the battlefields of World War I. More Australians died during this conflict that in any other in our history, many of them leaving behind widows and families. The need to provide support for the wounded and the families of our war dead was anticipated early in the war, with the passage of the War Pensions Act 1914. However, as increasing numbers of wounded and sick veterans came home, the Australian Government began the creation of a national repatriation scheme.

Senator Edward Davis Millen was appointed the first Minister for Repatriation and the Repatriation Department officially commenced operations on 8 April 1918. The Department supported the Repatriation Commission, a role that has continued to the present day as the repatriation system has evolved over the decades to meet the needs of new generations of veterans.

The Repatriation Department became the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on 22 September 1976. Nine decades after its creation, the Department provides a range of benefits, under the VEA, SRCA and MRCA. We are proud to serve Australia’s veteran and defence force communities and in 2006 again broadened our role to include services to eligible members of the Australian Federal Police who serve overseas.

2005-06 in summary

Money spent

$10.3 billion

Achievements

The first national veteran partnering tender, to give the veteran and defence force communities access to private hospital services in metropolitan and regional areas around Australia.
Contracting 233 community nursing providers to continue nursing services to the veteran community through to 2008.
An increased focus on mental health, with new funding of $20 million over four years from 2006-07 to better meet the mental health needs of the veteran, defence force and AFP communities.
The national Salute to Veterans, paying tribute to Australia’s World War II veterans and war widows/widowers on the 60th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific.
The issuing of the 60th Anniversary World War II Commemorative Medallion to more than 260 000 veterans, widows and widowers.
The Anzac Day 2006 services at Gallipoli, providing an informative and dignified commemoration of the 91st anniversary of the Anzac landings.
The creation of oneDVA, designed to consolidate our functions and enable DVA to continue providing high quality services.

A Snapshot of our veteran community

Table 1 - Estimated number of surviving veterans as at 30 June 2006
World War I	1
World War II	152 800
Korean War, Malayan Emergency and FESR	15 300
Vietnam War	49 200
Other pre-1972 conflicts	8 600
Post-1972 conflicts	5 200
Conflicts 1997 and after	25 700
Peacetime Defence Force	160 300
British Commonwealth & Allied	45 600

Note: see Table 89 in Appendix A for notes on each conflict

VEA Benefits

Table 2: Number of income support beneficiaries by age group and state as at 30 June 2006
*(includes people receiving service pension, income support supplement, age pension and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card)*
	NSW	VIC	QLD	SA	WA	TAS	Australia
Under 55	2 214	975	2 108	723	762	305	7 087
55-59	5 474	3 241	5 908	2 155	2 301	849	19 928
60-64	5 291	3 236	6 319	1 848	2 218	719	19 631
65-69	4 745	2 616	5 054	1 237	1 993	641	16 286
70-74	7 202	4 262	5 574	1 844	2 421	912	22 215
75-79	17 890	12 542	11 249	5 185	5 115	2 203	54 184
80-84	38 213	28 031	22 504	11 728	10 043	4 477	114 996
85-89	19 201	14 576	12 053	5 946	5 099	2 101	58 976
90 or over	5 210	4 291	3 263	1 470	1 541	563	16 338
Unknown	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	105 440	73 770	74 032	32 136	31 493	12 770	329 641

Table 3: Number of compensation beneficiaries by age group and state as at 30 June 2006
*(includes people receiving disability pension, war widow’s/widower’s pension and orphan’s pension)*
	NSW	VIC	QLD	SA	WA	TAS	Australia
Under 55	6 660	3 523	8 361	2 036	2 839	953	24 372
55-59	5 778	3 546	6 536	2 041	2 356	857	21 114
60-64	4 378	2 620	5 110	1 368	1 597	596	15 669
65-69	2 813	1 391	3 192	585	958	368	9 307
70-74	4 152	2 228	3 254	693	1 018	461	11 806
75-79	12 006	7 871	7 039	2 474	2 366	1 246	33 002
80-84	29 375	20 703	16 175	6 611	5 541	2 812	81 217
85-89	16 469	11 782	9 186	3 749	3 268	1 512	45 966
90 or over	5 128	4 037	2 786	1 158	1 242	464	14 815
Unknown	0	1	0	0	1	0	2
Total	86 759	57 702	61 639	20 715	21 186	9 269	257 270

*There are an additional 32 797 partners, widows/widowers and children of incapacitated veterans also receiving payment.

As at 30 June 2006, 305 229 members of the veteran community were receiving health care and support services through the Department.

Table 4: Treatment population by age group and state as at 30 June 2006
*(includes Gold Card and White Card holders)*
	NSW	VIC	QLD	SA	WA	TAS	Australia
Under 55	7 686	3 830	8 898	2 281	3 194	837	26 726
55-59	6 388	3 671	6 808	2 155	2 521	778	22 321
60-64	4 966	2 760	5 413	1 509	1 792	557	16 997
65-69	3 342	1 543	3 547	722	1 210	366	10 730
70-74	5 140	2 633	3 796	950	1 397	489	14 405
75-79	13 697	8 446	7 595	2 836	2 873	1 324	36 771
80-84	37 362	25 061	19 410	8 862	7 765	3 413	101 873
85-89	20 585	14 315	11 206	5 015	4 427	1 713	57 261
90 or over	6 342	4 871	3 327	1 492	1 595	511	18 138
Unknown	3	1	1	0	2	0	7
Total	105 511	67 131	70 001	25 822	26 776	9 988	305 229

As at 30 June 2006, the net number of beneficiaries receiving any benefits administered by DVA was 453 101.

Table 5: DVA beneficiaries by age group and state as at 30 June 2006
*(includes persons receiving pensions or allowances or who hold a Gold, White, Orange card or a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card)*
	NSW	VIC	QLD	SA	WA	TAS	Australia
Under 55	10 180	5 159	11 534	3 098	4 053	1 384	35 408
55-59	9 491	5 702	10 016	3 323	3 751	1 330	33 613
60-64	7 596	4 531	8 493	2 358	2 913	940	26 831
65-69	6 048	3 249	6 194	1 500	2 403	770	20 164
70-74	8 885	5 169	6 647	2 146	2 849	1 065	26 761
75-79	22 625	15 593	13 591	6 100	6 044	2 581	66 534
80-84	49 365	35 611	27 535	13 791	11 997	5 307	143 606
85-89	25 465	18 815	14 851	7 160	6 279	2 574	75 144
90 or over	7 520	5 981	4 180	1 960	2 092	743	22 476
Unknown	380	749	734	365	335	1	2 564
Total	147 555	100 559	103 775	41 801	42 716	16 695	453 101

Note:
The numbers include veterans and their dependants
The numbers do not include clients who were only receiving benefits under the MCRS or the DSH or the VCES. This is due to systems limitations in calculating overlaps with other benefits.

MRCA benefits

Table 6: Number of claims for liability by age determined during the year ending 30 June 2006
Age	NSW	Vic	Qld	SA	Tas	WA	Australia
Under 25	73	44	85	51	6	52	311
25-34	105	47	112	57	6	60	387
35-44	52	36	88	41	5	38	260
45-54	19	10	35	12	6	20	102
55-64	3	2	5	1		1	12
65 or over	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	252	139	325	162	23	171	1072

Table 7: Number of incapacity payees by age for the year ending 30 June 2006
Age	NSW	Vic	Qld	SA	Tas	WA	Australia
Under 25	12	9	12	5	1	8	47
25-34	15	9	12	15	4	8	63
35-44	8	7	7	4	0	3	29
45-54	3	3	4	3	0	0	13
55-64	2	0	2	0	0	0	4
65 or over	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	40	28	37	27	5	19	156

SRCA benefits

Table 8: Number of claims for liability by age determined during the year ending 30 June 2006
Age	NSW	VIC	QLD	SA	TAS	WA	Australia
Under 25	109	49	82	56	2	27	325
25-34	393	131	347	143	8	128	1150
35-44	318	139	362	138	18	98	1073
45-54	207	102	222	67	22	43	663
55-64	167	86	175	25	23	50	526
65 or over	121	32	86	4	14	26	283
Total	1315	539	1274	433	87	372	4020

Table 9: Number of incapacity payees by age for the year ending 30 June 2006
Age	NSW	VIC	QLD	SA	TAS	WA	Australia
Under 25	82	35	70	8	24	29	248
25-34	265	86	364	35	98	140	988
35-44	217	84	389	43	109	120	962
45-54	119	62	239	12	64	53	549
55-64	120	57	159	29	47	66	478
65 or Over	39	19	55	5	28	27	173
Unknown	842	343	1276	132	370	435	3398
Total	82	35	70	8	24	29	248

Case study – oneDVA

During 2005-06, DVA completed and implemented the findings of a Review of Service Delivery Arrangements, to ensure the Department is able to sustain high quality services as the number of World War II veterans and war widows/widowers – our largest client group – declines. The review set out to develop options and strategies to help DVA match its administrative resources to the expected decline in workload.

The underlying principles were that the Department would retain a senior presence in each state and that the quality of service delivery to the veteran, defence force and police communities would be maintained or enhanced, in line with the expectations of our client groups and the broader community.

A new organisational structure was created to replace DVA’s practice of national policy-making divisions located in Canberra and service delivery branches based in the state capitals and headed by Deputy Commissioners.

The oneDVA blueprint creates five divisions along functional lines:

Policy and Development;
Service Delivery;
Commemorations and War Graves;
Business Integrity; and
Corporate.

The new model breaks down national/state office boundaries, with the divisions having staff and managers located in offices around the country.

The restructuring of the Department provides better cohesion of functions such as processing claims for compensation, income support and health entitlements into the Service Delivery Division. In the short-term, this will enable the Department to identify improvements to operate more efficiently. As client numbers and workloads decline, the model will allow the Department to scale down its operations, while ensuring that sufficient staff and resources are still available where needed to continue a high quality service.

The introduction of the oneDVA model has created a new role for the state-based Deputy Commissioners. Relinquishing management of local staff and budgets, the Deputy Commissioners will be the public face of DVA in each state, monitoring the Department’s service delivery performance and liaising even more closely with their local veteran and defence communities to identify issues of concern.

The oneDVA structure was officially launched on 1 May 2006 and the challenge ahead for the Department will be to effectively move to the oneDVA concept, operating as a single, cohesive agency that offers the same quality service to our clients and their families, regardless of their location in Australia.

Operational structure

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs comprises five divisions, reporting to the Executive Management Group and the Secretary. The Policy and Development Division, Service Delivery Division and Commemorations and War Graves Division are primarily responsible for administering DVA’s outcomes. Their work is supported by the Business Integrity Division, which manages functions including legal services, risk management, audit, analysis and review and fraud, and the Corporate Division, which manages the Department’s corporate services, financial resources and people services.

DVA delivers its services through a nation-wide network of:

DVA offices;
Veterans’ Affairs Network offices;
Retirement Service Centres; and
contracted agents, including Centrelink offices.

Figure 1: DVA organisational chart

Large size Figure 1: DVA organisational chart. (it will open in a separate window)

Figure 2: DVA service delivery map

Large size Figure 2: DVA service delivery map. (it will open in a separate window)

Outcome/Output structure

The Department business structure consists of five outcomes. Each outcome contains a series of outputs under which DVA’s business is grouped. These are used to measure the Department’s performance.

As a result of the move to the oneDVA model, responsibility for some outcomes has changed, for example, responsibility for Outcomes 1 and 2 is now split principally between the Policy and Development Division and Service Delivery Division. The following tables show the divisions and/or national lines of business with primary responsibility for each output.

DVA’s outcome statements were also revised in May 2006 to encompass the extension of compensation entitlements to eligible members of the Australian Federal Police with overseas service. Changes were also made to Outcome 3, including a new output relating to the delivery of commemorative activities at Gallipoli. These revised outcomes and outputs were published in the 2006-07 Portfolio Budget Statements (link opens in a new window) and will be reported in the 2006-07 annual report. Changes to the outcome and output statements are shown here in italics.

Outcome 1

Eligible veterans, serving and former defence force members, their war widows and widowers and dependants have access to appropriate income support and compensation in recognition of the effects of war and defence service.

Changed to:
Eligible persons (including veterans, serving and former defence force members, war widows and widowers, certain Australian Federal Police personnel with overseas service) and their dependants have access to appropriate income support and compensation in recognition of the effects of war and defence service.

Outputs

Output		Administered by
1.1	Deliver a means-tested income support pension and other allowances to veterans and dependants under the VEA and related legislation.	Policy and Development Division: Income Support & Aged Care Policy Group Service Delivery Division: Income Support Group
1.2	Deliver compensation pensions, allowances and special purpose assistance to eligible veterans and war widows and war widowers under the VEA and related legislation.	Policy and Development Division: Compensation Policy Group Service Delivery Division: Veterans’ Compensation Group
1.3	Independent merits review by the Veterans’ Review Board of certain primary decisions made by delegates of the Repatriation Commission on claims for pension under the VEA and related legislation.	Veterans’ Review Board
1.4	Provide financial assistance through the Defence Service Home Loans Scheme	Service Delivery Division: Operations Support Group
1.5	Provide incapacity payments, non-economic lump sums for injuries resulting in permanent impairment and payments to dependants of deceased employees through the Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service (MCRS). Changed to: Provide incapacity payments, non-economic lump sums for injuries resulting in permanent impairment and payments to dependants of deceased employees through the SRCA.	Policy and Development Division: Compensation Policy Group Service Delivery Division: Military Compensation Group
1.6	Administer Individual Merit Reviews of MCRS decisions. Changed to: Administer Individual Merit Reviews of SRCA decisions.	Service Delivery Division: Military Compensation Group
1.7	Provide incapacity payments, non-economic loss lump sums for injuries resulting in permanent impairment and payments to dependants of deceased employees under the MRCA and related legislation.	Policy and Development Division: Compensation Policy Group Service Delivery Division: Military Compensation Group
1.8	Administer Individual Merit Reviews of decisions made under the MRCA and related legislation.	Service Delivery Division: Military Compensation Group

Business priorities 2005-06

Effectively managing the three compensation systems under the following Acts:

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988
Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004

Implementing and monitoring the Government’s responses to health studies.
Continuing the smooth implementation of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme.
Gaining acceptance of rehabilitation as a priority for the veteran and defence force communities and DVA’s other partners.
Instituting a nationally consistent approach to rehabilitation supported by a comprehensive evaluation framework.
Supporting effective advocacy arrangements as an integral part of the rehabilitation and compensation process.

Outcome 2

Eligible veterans, serving and former defence force members, their war widows and widowers and dependants have access to health and other care services that promote and maintain self-sufficiency, wellbeing and quality of life.

Changed to:
Eligible persons (including veterans, serving and former defence force members, war widows and widowers, certain Australian Federal Police personnel with overseas service) and their dependants have access to health and other care services that promote and maintain self-sufficiency, wellbeing and quality of life.

Outputs

Output		Administered by
2.1	Arrangements for delivery of health and other care services under the VEA and related legislation	Policy and Development Division Service Delivery Division
2.2	Provide counselling and referral services for veterans and their families.	Service Delivery Division: VVCS - Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service
2.3	Arrange for the delivery of medical, rehabilitation and other related services under the MCRS and related legislation. Changed to: Arrange for the delivery of medical, rehabilitation and other related services under the SRCA and related legislation.	Policy and Development Division Service Delivery Division
2.4	Arrange for the delivery of medical, rehabilitation and other related services under the MRCA and related legislation.	Policy and Development Division Service Delivery Division

Business priorities 2005-06

Procuring tier 1 and tier 2 public and private hospital services, particularly private hospital services in Brisbane and Perth.
Continuing to develop more effective community-based models of mental health care.
Improving understanding and awareness of mental health issues by DVA and the veteran and defence force communities.
Improving chronic disease management, particularly of frail aged veterans and war widows, through the promotion of general health awareness and effective heath care arrangements.
Improving research programs that investigate the current and future health needs of veterans and serving and former defence force personnel, supported by stronger links with Defence.

Outcome 3

The service and sacrifice of the men and women who served Australia and its allies in wars, conflicts and peace operations are acknowledged and commemorated.

Outputs

Output		Administered by
3.1	Implement commemorative initiatives and provide support and funding to acknowledge Australia’s servicemen and women from wars, conflicts and peace operations. Changed to: Develop and implement commemorative initiatives and provide support and funding under the commemorations program Saluting Their Service.	Commemorations & War Graves Division: Commemorations Group
3.2	Maintenance, construction and refurbishment of war graves, war cemeteries, gardens of remembrance and post war commemorations. Provide and maintain national memorials overseas. Process claims for, and provision of, official post war commemorations. Changed to: Maintain, construct and refurbish war graves and post-war commemorations within war cemeteries, gardens of remembrance, cemeteries and crematoria in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Process claims for, and provision of, official post-war commemorations. Provide and maintain national memorials overseas.	Commemorations & War Graves Division: Office of Australian War Graves
3.3	New output: Coordinate and manage the delivery of commemorative and related activities at Gallipoli.	Commemorations & War Graves Division: Gallipoli Projects Section

Business priorities 2005-06

Promoting community awareness of, and participation in, commemorations programs, with particular emphasis on the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Developing and publishing innovative materials on Australia’s wartime heritage.
Supporting awareness and preservation of our wartime heritage.
Commemorating eligible deceased veterans by maintaining individual graves, war cemeteries and Gardens of Remembrance.
Maintaining nominal rolls of those who served in wars and conflicts and other defence operations overseas.

Outcome 4

The veteran and defence force communities have access to advice and information about benefits, entitlements and services.

Changed to:
The veteran, defence force and certain Australian Federal Police communities have access to advice and information about benefits, entitlements and services.

Outputs

Output		Administered by
4.1	Provide communication, community support and development services to the veteran community and providers, including veterans’ local support groups.	Service Delivery Division: Client Contact Group
4.2	Provide advice and information to members of the defence force community and providers related to the MCRS. Changed to: Provide advice and information to members of the defence force community and providers related to the SRCA.	Service Delivery Division: Client Contact Group
4.3	Provide advice and information to members of the defence force community and providers related to MRCA and related legislation.	Service Delivery Division: Client Contact Group

Business priorities 2005-06

Addressing the information needs of the veteran and defence force communities through a range of services and the media.
Obtaining feedback, including through surveys, of veterans and defence force personnel to improve services.
Monitoring and maintaining the efficiency of departmental and agency services, particularly in regional areas.
Encouraging and supporting community, veteran and defence organisations in their provision of services.
Making special efforts to raise awareness among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans of their entitlements through targeted activities.

Outcome 5

Serving and former defence force members and dependants have access to support services provided through joint arrangements between DVA and Defence.

Outputs

Legislation	Output		Administered by
	5.1	Joint Defence/DVA projects	Policy & Development Division: Rehabilitation, Research & Development Group

Business priorities 2005-06

Continuing to support the effective operation of the Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health.
Collaborating closely with Defence on effective strategies for post-deployment monitoring and research.
Continuing to identify opportunities for cooperation and collaboration with Defence.