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New Minister appointed
The Federal Member for Bruce, Alan Griffin, has been appointed Minister for Veterans’ Affairs in the first Rudd Government. (continues page 2)
Pensions increase
DVA pensions and income support supplement have risen in the latest round of indexation adjustments. For the first time all disability and war widow’s pensions have been calculated with reference to Male Total Average Weekly Earnings as well as the Consumer Price Index. (continues page 2)
More generous allowances to help pay the bills
DVA’s household allowances have increased significantly and will be paid quarterly, providing the veteran community greater flexibility in their domestic finances under Australian Government measures that take effect in March 2008, subject to passage of legislation
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Letters to the editor
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Vietnam veteran returns
Lance Corporal John Gillespie came home to a hero’s welcome 36 years after he died in combat in Vietnam.
Minister acts on claims delays
DVA will set up a special claims unit to reduce the lengthy delays being experienced by veterans seeking compensation for war-related injuries.
Ex-service council to advise Govt
The Australian Government is seeking submissions from the veteran community on the establishment of the Prime Ministerial Advisory Council on Ex-Service Matters.
Australians to be honoured at Be’er-Sheva
The contribution of Australian service personnel in the Israel-Sinai region in two world wars and subsequent peace operations will be honoured when the Park of the Australian Soldier in Be’er-Sheva, Israel is opened in April.
Veterans’ family study begins
Work is well under way on the department’s Vietnam Veterans’ Family Study, the lead study in the Australian Government’s world-first research program examining veterans and their families.
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Benefits for DVA war widows
War widow pensioners who transfer their income support payment from Centrelink to DVA may be entitled to more than $35 extra a fortnight.
Anzac Day poster features defenders of Villers-Bretonneux
This year’s Anzac Day poster commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux where Australian and British soldiers fought to halt the Germans’ great offensive of March 1918.
Changes to child support payments from July
Veteran parents’ child support payments may increase and DVA will be able to garnishee income support payments under coming changes to child support arrangements.
Remembering Vietnam battles
The Australian Government will help commemorate the 40th anniversary of the battles of Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral in the Vietnam War.
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Suspected mass grave to be investigated
Work to investigate a site on the Western Front thought to contain unmarked mass graves with unrecovered remains will begin in May.
Information on graves available
The Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) can provide information about Commonwealth war dead from the two world wars and Australian war dead in subsequent conflicts.
Events to mark anniversaries of Western Front battles
This year’s Anzac Day commemorations on the Western Front will mark the 90th anniversary of the defence of Amiens, which included the Australian forces’ recapture of Villers-Bretonneux, and the Australian Government will conduct a once-only Dawn Service on Friday 25 April at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux.
Family honour Light Horseman 80 years on
A veteran of the Australian Light Horse’s campaigns in the Boer and First World Wars has been honoured with an official commemoration more than 80 years after his death.
Works under way at Le Hamel memorial
The Australian Corps Memorial Park at Le Hamel, France will be closed to the public until mid-2008 while redevelopment works are completed.
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Vetaffairs on CD for blind veterans
DVA clients who are blind or have very low vision will soon be receiving the Vetaffairs newspaper on compact disk.
Memorial design competition begins
Design artists have been challenged to imagine memorials befitting the sacrifice of the 100,000 Australians who died in the First and Second World Wars.
Funding boost ex-PoW memorial
The Australian Government has provided $160,000 in funding to help preserve the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial at Ballarat.
Australia Day honours recognise service to veterans
Several Defence Force members, ex-servicemen, volunteers and public servants were recognised on the Australia Day honours list for their services to the veteran community.
Award for health educator
A north Queensland volunteer advocate in DVA’s Men’s Health Peer Education (MHPE) program is one of a handful of veteran volunteers who were recognised in the Australia Day 2008 honours list.
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A decade of peace operations in pictures
A pictorial history of Australian peacekeeping from Bougainville to Iraq is on display at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance.
Data exchange with UK begins
DVA and Centrelink will exchange records with the United Kingdom Pension Service in a 2007–08 Budget measure designed to prevent debts and improve the accuracy of DVA payments.
New role for General Peter Cosgrove
General Peter Cosgrove (Retd) has been elected chairman of the Council of the Australian War Memorial.
Events planned to mark 90th anniversary of repatriation
A series of events and activities will be held during 2008 to mark the Repatriation Commission’s 90th anniversary.
Prime Minister opens new galleries
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd paid homage to the 130,000 Australians who have served their country since the Second World War as he opened the Australian War Memorial’s new galleries, Conflicts 1945 to Today, in February.
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Victorian veterans encouraged to be creative
This year marks the 46th anniversary of DVA’s Story Writing and Art Competition, which commenced in 1962 at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital as therapy for returned veterans.
Book tells story of Light Horse
New book Australians in World War I: Australian Light Horse tells the Light Horse’s story from its brilliant defence of Romani in August 1916 until the capture of Damascus in October 1918.
Services to help you look after your health
Information about DVA’s falls and accident prevention program, HomeFront;
Veterans’ Home Maintenance Line which provides general and emergency property advice; and the Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP) which provides rehabilitation equipment to restore and maintain veterans’ functional independence according to their clinical needs.
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Extra funds for ESOs
Ex-service organisations across Australia will receive a $5 million boost to support their work with the veteran community.
Get help with medicines
Veterans struggling to manage their medicines can now get help through DVA’s new Dose Administration Aids Service.
Being there for veterans
Veteran of the Korean and Malayan conflicts Don Young loves his job helping other veterans and their families
Jogging your memory
Dr Killer’s column
Training for volunteers
The Training and Information Program helps people help the veteran community.
The joint DVA and ex-service organisation initiative trains pension officers and welfare officers to assist veterans and serving members in many ways, from lodging compensation claims to accessing welfare services.
Military superannuation review out
The Australian Government has asked for public comment on the report of the Review into Military Superannuation Arrangements.
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Bougainville, East Timor personnel needed for study
Thousands of veterans of the Near North have been urged to take part in a major ongoing study of the physical and mental health effects of overseas deployments.
Check your insurance cover
Defence Service Homes Insurance is encouraging veterans to make sure that their insurance is up-to-date.
Proving you are who you say you are
DVA has amended its proof of identity requirements so that people authorised to certify copies of original documents must now provide extra information.
Off the Shelf
Medals Lost and Found
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Gates honours Australians’ sacrifice
United States Defence Secretary, Robert Gates toured the Australian War Memorial during his visit to Canberra in February.
Reunions
Noticeboard (continued from page 12)
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