Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

I draw your attention to another issue. Last night at Senate estimates the Department of Veterans' Affairs confirmed that the average claim processing time under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act was 35 days above that reported in the budget papers and in the department's own annual report. The department confirmed last night that in March 2013 the average processing time was 155 days. But in the budget paper the government says that the mean processing time was 120 days. Minister, were you aware of this misreporting?

The department confirmed that $1.7 million given to them in the budget to make improvements to the processing time for compensation claims will simply be used to bring processing times back to the reported mean time rather than seeking to reduce the reported average claims processing time. Whilst the new secretary noted that we are not meeting our targets, it is clearly the government which takes responsibility for all issues with the department and has to justify why they have allowed what would seem like inaccurate reporting of veteran compensation claim processing times.

Minister, I think you would agree that this may cast doubts made in other areas over claims made in other documents about other processing times. I can imagine this situation is somewhat embarrassing, especially since in your 2011 post-budget press release you announced the claims process was 'complex, wieldy and slow' and you announced $3.4 million to improve that process. I fail to see if anything meaningful has happened since that money was allocated.

The misreporting also comes at a time when the department claims under the MRC Act that claims will increase by eight per cent. Without proper training for advocates and pensioner welfare officers, the complexity of the system may lead to further delays. The department further confirmed last night that veteran advocates are not being given specific training about the changes to the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act currently before the parliament. Minister, surely without proper training the problems with the claim processing may only increase.

The increase in claim processing times comes on the back of that 2011 decision of the government to cut advocacy funding by $1 million a year over the forward estimates. I think we all agree this decision has placed enormous strain on volunteer veteran advocates and pensioner welfare officers, who are struggling to cope with the increased demand for their service from veterans and their families. These advocates provide an essential service to veterans and their families, helping them to negotiate their way through what is a complex rehab system. Taking the support out from under their feet is disappointing. Minister, can you explain how this misreporting of average claim processing times in the portfolio budget statements came about and what was its genesis? Can you explain that differentiation and, if indeed there are mistakes, Minister, will you take responsibility?

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