When the Repatriation Medical Authority (RMA) gazettes an investigation into a disease or injury that is not currently the subject of an RMA Statement of Principles (SOP) or declaration, claims made under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) for that disease or injury can then not be determined until the investigation is finalised.  Investigations are finalised by the RMA either:

• Determining a SOP for that disease or injury; or,
• Declaring that it does not propose to make such a SOP.

Non-SOP investigations are covered by:

• The Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 Part VIII, Sections 120A(2) and 120B(2); and
• The Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 Chapter 7 Part 2, Sections 338(2) and 339(2).

Investigations gazetted by the RMA into diseases or injuries for which there is a SOP, or a previous RMA declaration, are not covered by these sections of the legislation and claims for those conditions can still be processed and finalised.