Government Proposal for Veterans Legislation Reform
The Interim Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide made a number of recommendations to government, including that the Australian Government should develop and implement legislation to simplify and harmonise the framework for veterans' compensation, rehabilitation and other entitlements. This follows a similar recommendation made by the Productivity Commission in its report A Better Way to Support Veterans.
The government has accepted the Royal Commission recommendation and, following a call for feedback, has released a "Veterans' Legislation Reform Pathway" which proposes to move to a single Act covering veterans' compensation and rehabilitation (a modified MRCA). UNOPAA is concerned that this might disadvantage police peacekeepers who are not currently covered by the MRCA, so wrote to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs on 22 February 2023. In a response, a senior adviser to the Minister has stated that police peacekeepers with VEA coverage will retain their eligility and be able to submit claims under the modified MRCA when the new legislation comes into force.
Copies of the correspondence is below:
UNOPAA will continue to monitor the development of the new legislation to ensure this commitment is honoured.