7.2 Transport of the Body from an Overseas Place of Death.

From 1 July 2026, the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) and Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) has closed to new claims for rehabilitation and compensation. DVA will consider new claims under an improved Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA). More information on transport of a body under MRCA is available at 7.12.3 Reimbursement of Transport Costs of the Body

There is no specific provision within the SRCA or either of its predecessors, in relation to the costs of return of a body from an overseas place of death for burial. However in certain circumstances the S16 provisions relating to the transport of an employee's body to a hospital, morgue, undertaker etc. can be held to apply to the costs of transport to a morgue etc in Australia. This matter is dealt with in more detail at 1.7 of this chapter of the Handbook.