PART B - PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW
Portfolio Overview
Portfolio Legislation
Structure of Veterans’
Affairs Portfolio Outcomes
PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW
The Veterans' Affairs portfolio is responsible for carrying out Government policy and implementing programmes to fulfil Australia's obligations to war veterans and their dependants as well as providing a compensation claims management service to serving and former members of the Australian Defence Force. The portfolio is made up of two agencies: the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Australian War Memorial. The total appropriation for the portfolio in the 2003-04 Budget is $9,994,683,000.
|
Portfolio Agency
|
Table Reference | Total Appropriation |
|---|---|---|
| $'000 | ||
| Department of Veterans' Affairs | DVA Table 1.1 | 9,961,679 |
| Australian War Memorial | AWM Table 1.1 | 33,004 |
|
Total Portfolio
|
9,994,683 |
Within the Department of Veterans' Affairs agency there are a number of distinct organisational entities which, along with the two agencies, are described below.
The Repatriation Commission
The Repatriation Commission is responsible under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 for granting pensions, allowances and other benefits, providing treatment and other services and generally administering the Act.
The functions and powers of the Repatriation Commission are set out in part XI of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Sections 180 and 181).
The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)
The Department provides administrative support to the Repatriation Commission and is responsible for advising the Commission on policies and programmes for repatriation beneficiaries and administering these policies and programmes. As well as supporting the Repatriation Commission, the Department administers legislation such as the Defence Service Homes Act 1918 under which subsidised loans for housing and housing-related benefits are provided to eligible veterans.
It also administers the Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service (MCRS) under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 on behalf of the Department of Defence. The national office of the Department is located in Canberra with State offices in each major capital city. Regional offices (or Veterans' Affairs Network offices) are located in other major regional centres. The Department is working to enhance service delivery to rural and remote veterans through the establishment of agency arrangements to deliver DVA information and services where the Department has no permanent local presence. The Department also administers the commemorations programme.
The Veterans' Review Board (VRB)
The Veterans' Review Board reviews certain decisions of the Repatriation Commission. The Board was established by the Repatriation Legislation Amendment Act 1984 and commenced operations on 1 January 1985. The Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 preserves the continuing role of the Veterans' Review Board.
The classes of decision that the Board may review fall into two main categories: "entitlement" cases where a claim for a pension other than a service pension was decided; and "assessment" cases where the rate of pension payable for an accepted incapacity was assessed. In both cases, dissatisfaction with the decision is the basis on which an application for review may be lodged.
The Veterans' Children Education Boards
The Boards are responsible to the Repatriation Commission for matters concerning the administration of the Veterans' Children Education Scheme in each State.
Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG)
The OAWG manages the War Graves programme. It maintains graves and memorials to Commonwealth war dead in over 70 war cemeteries/plots and in civil cemeteries throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea, Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands) and Norfolk Island. The OAWG also implements Government policy for the perpetual commemoration of Australian veterans whose post-war deaths are accepted as being due to their war service.
The OAWG represents Australia's interests in the maintenance of graves of Australian service personnel conflicts, in overseas countries. These include the United Nations Memorial Cemetery at Pusan in Korea, the British Commonwealth Forces Cemetery at Yokohama in Japan, and in Malaysia.
The OAWG has specific responsibilities for battle exploit memorials in other theatres of Australian operations throughout the world. It constructs and maintains overseas memorials at sites of major significance to Australia's military history, such as the Anzac Commemorative site at Gallipoli.
OAWG also tends foreign war graves and cemeteries in Australia that contain the graves of foreign service personnel and civilian internees who died during the two world wars. It maintains the graves and other memorials to former Prime Ministers and Governors-General of Australia on behalf of the Department of the Environment and Heritage.
The Repatriation Medical Authority (RMA)
The RMA is an independent statutory body whose role is to determine statements of principles in relation to medical or scientific evidence connecting injuries, diseases or death with the circumstances of a particular veteran's service.
The Specialist Medical Review Council (SMRC)
The SMRC is an independent statutory body whose role is to review the contents of a statement of principles or a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to issue such a statement on application.
The Australian War Memorial (AWM)
The Australian War Memorial was established as a body corporate under the Australian War Memorial Act 1980. It operates within the Veterans' Affairs portfolio as a discrete agency.
The AWM has the responsibility to maintain and develop the national memorial to Australians who have died on, or as a result of, active service or as a result of any war or warlike operations in which Australians have been on active service; to develop and maintain as part of the national memorial a national collection of historical material; and to exhibit or to make available for exhibition by others, historical material in the possession of the memorial.
PORTFOLIO LEGISLATION
A New Tax System (Bonuses for Older Australians) Act 1999, parts 1 and 5 in so far as they relate to Veterans' Affairs customers and part 3
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 (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1986
Veterans' Entitlements (Rewrite) Transition Act 1991
War Graves Act 1980
War Precautions Act Repeal Act 1920
STRUCTURE OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO OUTCOMES
|
Portfolio Minister
The Hon Danna Vale MP Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence |
| Department of Veterans' Affairs | Australian War Memorial | |
| Secretary: Dr Neil Johnston | Director: Maj Gen Steve Gower | |
| Outcome 1 - Eligible veterans, their war widows and
widowers and dependants have access to appropriate compensation and income
support in recognition of the effects of war service.
Outcome 2 - Eligible 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. |
Outcome 1 - Australians remember, interpret and understand the Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on Australian society through maintenance and development, on their behalf, of the national memorial and a national collection of historical material, and through commemorative ceremonies, exhibitions, research, interpretation and dissemination. | |
| 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. | ||
| Outcome 4 - The needs of the veteran community are identified, they are well informed of community and specific services and they are able to access such services. | ||
| Outcome 5 - Current 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. |