Veterans’ Entitlements Bill

Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024.

For many years, the RSL has been calling for the consolidation of the current legislation governing veterans’ entitlements, comprising three Acts, into a single piece of legislation to simplify claims for veterans and their families.

The existing three pieces of legislation, dating from 1917, are complex, leading to a backlog in processing DVA claims, adversely impacting veterans and their families. The more than a century-old legislation has never been fully reformed but updated and amended, which has only added to its complexity.

The RSL highlighted this in its first submission to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide in November 2021. The Royal Commission reported on this issue in its Interim Report (August 2022). It recommended that the Australian Government implement legislative reforms to simplify and harmonise the veteran entitlement system as soon as possible. The Government announced its intention to reform the legislation in February 2023.

Veterans’ Legislation Reform is now underway.

The Government consulted on the exposure draft Bill with the veteran community between 28 February and 28 April 2024. RSL provided a detailed submission which incorporated members’ voices across the League. The insights and recommendations included in the RSL submission have been considered by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

The submission helped shape and improve the Bill, for example: the Bill will now provide a pathway for veterans in receipt of DRCA incapacity payments to transfer onto MRCA incapacity payments under the new system. DVA said that the RSL submission also included a number of constructive suggestions that the Department could consider as part of future policy work beyond this Simplification and Harmonisation exercise.

On 3 July 2024, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon Matt Keogh MP, introduced the draft Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024 into Parliament. The Bill was referred to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee. The RSL lodged a submission to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee on the Exposure Draft of the Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024, in which the RSL outlined its support for key provisions in the legislation and provided further information to assist the Senate Committee’s deliberations. The committee tabled its final report on 3 October 2024. The Bill is currently before the Senate.

Current System

Source: dva.gov.au

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA)

Pension based scheme

Conditions from operational, peacekeeping and hazardous service before 2004. Covers some other defence service mostly between 1972 and 1994.

Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA)

Workers compensation model

Conditions from non-operational service before 2004. Also covers operational service between 1994 and 2004.

Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA)

Conditions from service on or after 1 July 2004.

Proposed new system

Legacy VEA and DRCA

Existing claims under the VEA and DRCA before the specified commencement date would remain under grandparented provisions of those Acts.

The single ongoing Act

New claims from a specified commencement date irrespective of when and where the veteran served, or when their injury, illness or death occurred.

Progress Timeline

  • 31 July 2024: RSL lodged a submission to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee on the Exposure Draft of the Bill.

  • 3 July 2024: Draft Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024 tabled in Parliament.

  • June 2024: DVA thanked RSL Australia for its substantial submission and responded to the issues raised by the RSL.

  • April 2024: RSL Australia lodged a detailed submission on the proposed Veterans’ Entitlements Legislation, which was the result of collaboration across the League.

  • February 2024: The Government released draft legislation to simplify and harmonise veterans’ entitlements, compensation, and rehabilitation systems.

  • February 2023 - The Australian Government announced its intention to simplify legislation governing Veterans’ compensation, rehabilitation, and other entitlements.

  • August 2022: The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide recommended that the Australian Government implement legislative reforms to simplify and harmonise the veteran entitlement system as soon as possible.

  • November 2021: The RSL highlighted the need to consolidate the current legislation governing veterans’ entitlements, comprising three Acts, into a single piece of legislation to simplify claims for veterans and their families in its submission to the Royal Commission.

Related Submissions

  • RSL submission to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee

    The RSL has lodged a submission to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee on the Exposure Draft of the Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024, in which the RSL outlines its support for key provisions in the legislation and provides further information to assist the Senate Committee’s deliberations.

    Read Submission

  • Submission: Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024

    April 2024

    The RSL has lodged a detailed submission in response to the Government’s release of the draft Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024. The RSL consulted across the breadth of the League to ensure members’ voices inform the development of fit-for-purpose legislation that best serves veterans and their families.

    Read Submission

  • Letter: Military Invalidity Payments

    March 2024

    The RSL’s letter in support of the submission made by the Defence Welfare Association (DFWA) to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee’s inquiry into the provisions of the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Military Invalidity Payment Mean Testing) Bill 2024. The RSL advocates that the proposed amendments must not negatively impact or reduce the existing payments that are made available to veterans and their families.

    Read letter

  • Submission: 2024-25 Pre-Budget Submission to Treasury

    January 2024

    The RSL is requesting the Federal Government use the 2024-25 Budget to strengthen the health and wellbeing of veterans and their families by improving access to healthcare for veterans and their families, implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission, including establishing a National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Wellbeing and a Peak Body for ESOs, and continuing to permanently reduce the DVA claims backlog, including support for advocates and advocacy.

    Read submission

  • RSL Australia's Report on the 2023-24 Federal Budget

    May 2023

    RSL Australia has responded to the 2023-24 Federal Budget summarising how the budget accounts for implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission and explaining which measures will focus on veterans and their families. The report's final page summarises what RSL has been lobbying for vs the budget response.

    Read Report

  • Submission to the Royal Commission

    March 2023

    Proposal for implementation of Recommendations.

    This submission provides RSL Australia’s response to the Royal Commissioners’ calls for feedback on the potential creation of a suitable entity with comprehensive oversight and powers to drive lasting reform to help reduce the incidence of suicide amongst serving and ex-serving ADF members.

    Read submission

  • Submission: Harmonisation of Legislation - Funeral Benefits

    March 2023

    The RSL has called on the Federal Government to harmonise the funeral benefits payable to service veterans to remove the existing disparity. Currently, the benefits paid range from just $2000 to $12,600. The RSL says bringing the payments together is one of the more straightforward legislative changes the Government could make and could be achieved relatively quickly. Doing so would ensure fairness for older veterans and their families.

    Read Submission

  • Submission: 2023-24 Pre-Budget Submission to Treasury

    February 2023

    The 2023-24 Budget presents the Australian Government with the opportunity to further deliver on the commitments it made in its previous Budget, to sustain an effective response to the emerging findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission and to ensure that our service men and women are able to experience a healthy transition from service, engage in fulfilling civilian careers and continue to make positive social and economic contributions to our nation.

    Read Submission