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
What decisions can be reviewed by the VRB?
A person may appeal against the following decisions to the VRB:
- a claim for Disability Compensation Payment, war widow(er)'s pension, or dependant [glossary:pension:],
- claim for attendant allowance,
- application for increase in Disability Compensation Payment[glossary:,:]
- the date from which a payment of pension or a payment of pension at a higher rate may be made, and
- a decision under section 31(6) in the VEA to cancel, suspend, vary, fix a date of re-commencement for a pension or allowance.
Aspects of a decision on a claim for Disability Compensation Payment that may be reviewed are:
- whether or not a person is a veteran,
- whether or not a person's disability is war-caused or defence-caused, and
- the assessment of Disability Compensation Payment.
If unhappy with VRB decision a claimant or applicant may then appeal to the AAT.
Review by VRB of a section 31 review decision
After application to the VRB is made, the Commission may exercise its discretion to review its decision under s31 of the VEA, and may:
- revoke the decision,
- revoke the decision and substitutes with new decision, or
- vary the decision.
In such a case, the person may request that the VRB review the:
- decision to revoke the original decision,
- new (substituted decision), or
varied decision.