Most VEA compensation and rehabilitation determinations made on or after 21 April 2025 must be appealed directly to the Veterans’ Review Board (VRB), via VRB lodgement channels, rather than to DVA. Appeal timeframes remain the same for all claim types except Acute Support Package, which has been extended to 12 months. DVA has 28 days to prepare the report for the VRB under section 352D of the MRCA. The Commission continues to have the discretion to initiate a reconsideration of own motion.
Income support decisions continue to be appealable to ART.
Determinations made before 21 April 2025 should be appealed via previous pathways. Claimants can confirm the review pathway relevant to their claim by checking the determination letter. More information is available at dva.gov.au/single-review-pathway or vrb.gov.au
Grant, variation suspension or cancellation as a result of a VRB review
The following table outlines the dates of effect for grants, variations, suspensions or cancellations determined as a result of a review by the VRB:
| If | and | then date of effect will be |
| the VRB reviews a decision with the result of granting a pension or Attendant Allowance | the application for review was made within 3 months of the Commission decision | a date not earlier than the day the Commission could have approved payment of the grant.
|
| the application is made at any other time | no more than 6 months before the date the application for review was received by DVA.
| |
| the VRB reviews a decision with the result of reducing, suspending or cancelling a pension or Attendant Allowance | the decision was made by the VRB due to a failure of refusal to comply with the VEA | the date on which the decision is made or an earlier or later date.
|
| the decision was made for any other reason | the date of the first available payday occurring after the VRB serves the decision on the Commission.
| |
| the VRB reviews a decision | the result of altering the description or nature of the war-caused or defence-caused injury or disease from which a person is suffering | the date on which the VRB makes its decision, or an earlier or later date being fair and reasonable under the circumstances.
|
| in any other case | a date not earlier than the earliest date that the decision could have operated if it had been made by the Commission.
|