The Report

The Steering Committee delivered its comprehensive report to me in February 2011.  The Review of Military Compensation Arrangements Report is available, in two volumes, on the DVA website.

I released the report in March 2011 and called for feedback from the veteran and defence communities by 30 June 2011.  Forty eight individuals and organisations provided written feedback.  Further consultation with ex-service organisations and relevant agencies occurred between March and August 2011.  The Review was favourably received and most of its recommendations were supported by ex-service organisations.  However, in some instances the ex-service organisations do not hold a uniform view or individual organisations had particular concerns with, or qualifications on their support of, certain recommendations.

The report concluded that the objectives of the MRCA are sound.  It also confirmed that the unique nature of military service justified rehabilitation and compensation arrangements specific to the needs of the military.  However, not unexpectedly given the relative complexity and period of operation of the MRCA (five years before the start of the Review), the Review found opportunities for improvements.  It made 108 recommendations ranging from retaining the status quo, support for current initiatives, clarification of policy, further work and monitoring, to legislative change.  Of the 108 recommendations, eight comprise four pairs of recommendations where the Committee had divergent views.  The subject of these pairs of recommendations are issues that are also significant in the veteran and defence community:

• Permanent impairment compensation – service differential;
• Compensation following death – service differential;
• Permanent impairment compensation across multiple acts; and
• Non-liability health care for certain psychiatric conditions.