Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I am pleased to introduce the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 2) Bill.

This bill continues our government's response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and furthers the implementation of a simpler veterans entitlement system. The bill before us today complements the amendments made in the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 1) Bill that was introduced into the parliament at the end of October.

Positioning

In September, I came to the House to give an update on the important work underway to enact the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The passage of the Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2025 (the VETS Act) earlier this year, is one part of the Albanese government's response to the recommendations in the royal commission's interim report.

The VETS Act will simplify veterans legislation from 1 July 2026 and do away with the current tri-act system. From 1 July 2026 all veterans rehabilitation and compensation claims will be dealt with under a single piece of legislation, the new and improved Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, also known as the MRCA.

To be ready for 1 July 2026 and to ensure all the great work that is coming out of the VETS Act is in place in time, there are some minor technical amendments that are required.

What is it?

The bill proposes a number of minor technical amendments to that legislation.

They will help to ensure the smooth implementation of these reforms and the transition from the complicated tri-act arrangement to the single ongoing act.

These changes do not change the key settings agreed to with the passage of the VETS Act.

This bill is about good governance and effective implementation.

Overview of the bill

Each amendment has been carefully considered to ensure the original policy intent from the VETS Act is enacted. There are no surprises in this bill.

The bill makes amendments to require the Veterans' Review Board (VRB) to notify the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) when a serving member makes an application for a review and the outcome of a review.

It will also make amendments to remove any requirement that applications for VRB related travel expenses to be communicated to the VRB.

The bill will amend recovery provisions to provide legal authority to subtract any amount already paid under the Veterans' Entitlements Act from any Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act arrears payable to a dependant for the equivalent benefits for the same period.

The bill clarifies the circumstances under which a partner may receive additional lump sum compensation for service related death claimed on or after 1 July 2026, and ensures that this amount is available in respect of all service related deaths on or after this date.

The bill will clarify that the higher rate (maximum currently of $14,990) of funeral compensation payable under MRCA is available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria, even if they also met the criteria for the lower $3,000 rate, and that combined total compensation cannot exceed the maximum payable.

The bill will ensure that veterans who meet the criteria for additional disablement amount (ADA) or special rate disability pension (SRDP) do not need to meet additional criteria to enable their eligible children to access education assistance through the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (MRCAETS).

Likewise, the bill clarifies that gold cards are provided to ADA-eligible veterans without requiring them to meet additional criteria and amends the service pension criteria so that the partners of ADA-eligible veterans (after 1 July 2026) are eligible for partner service pension from age 50, to harmonise with the current eligibility/age requirements available to partners of extreme disablement amount (EDA) veterans under the current Veterans Entitlement Act framework.

The bill will make amendments to continue to exclude the Victoria Cross allowance and decoration allowance from income test arrangements.

The bill makes clear the coverage for conditions resulting from unintended consequences of treatment provided or paid for by Defence during service, or later by DVA.

Lastly, the bill makes amendments to ensure existing access to non-liability health care (NLHC) arrangements for serving members are maintained when transferred from Veterans Entitlements Act to the MRCA, and maintain the current ability to notify the CDF when a serving member claims for or is accessing non-liability health care.

I want to reiterate my and the Department of Veterans' Affairs commitment that no veteran or veteran family member will experience a reduction in the payments they are already receiving.

These technical amendments ensure that all of the legislative requirements are in place so that the shift to the improved MRCA is seamless for veterans and their families receiving services and support. The exceptional treatment, payments and benefits they receive will continue, uninterrupted, from 1 July 2026 onwards.

Conclusion

The VETS Act is the most significant reform of how we support veterans in a century.

These amendments are evidence that we want to get this right.

This bill will continue to make it easier for veterans and families to know what they are entitled to and faster for the Department of Veterans' Affairs to process their claims.

Whilst the amendments contained in this bill are minor, they are critical to ensuring the intent of the VETS Act and the smooth delivery of services continues and is ready for 1 July 2026. We are committed to getting this right for veterans and veteran families.

Further details are included in the explanatory memorandum.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.