Where claims for alcoholism and related diseases are presented to Delegates, clients typically assert that a nexus with employment exists in that:

  • they commenced drinking heavily and subsequently developed an addiction in response to peer pressure in the ADF environment
  • the ADF encouraged consumption of alcohol by providing alcohol in messes at less than the civilian community price
  • 'stress' of the employment drove the client to drink excessively
  • pain or mental distress from a compensable injury induced the client to 'self medicate' with alcohol or an illicit drug.

However, these assertions are not to be accepted as demonstrating any nexus between disease and employment.