Note for CLIK Users
Under changes commencing on 1 July 2026, the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) are being closed to new claims for compensation and rehabilitation.
Claims for travel expenses that would previously have been payable under the VEA or DRCA will instead be payable under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) from that date.
For those with eligibility under the VEA, the changes will result in a higher rate of reimbursement per kilometre travelled ($0.68 under the MRCA compared with $0.44 under the VEA). The MRCA is also being amended to remove the 50-kilometre return trip requirement that currently applies under both the MRCA and the DRCA, meaning a larger proportion of veterans will be able to claim expenses associated with travel by private vehicle.
With the closing of the VEA and the DRCA on 1 July 2026, access to the Vehicle Assistance Scheme (VAS) for new applicants will cease. From that date, all new claims for motor vehicle compensation will instead be considered under the Motor Vehicle Compensation Scheme (MVCS). However, those with eligibility that has already been established under the VAS will continue to receive assistance under that scheme via ‘grand parenting’ arrangements.
Assessment under the MVCS will require lodgement of a new claim for benefits on or after 1 July 2026 and will be subject to the eligibility criteria and conditions under that scheme.
Those who are already eligible under the MRCA will not be impacted by the changes.
The changes are expected to simplify claiming processes and lead to greater consistency of outcomes for veterans, irrespective of when they served or when they were injured or became ill.
Note: Additional information on this (and other) topics will be made available in the relevant CLIK chapters and sub‑chapters soon.
Information videos covering the 1 July 2026 legislative reform changes are also available via the following link Information Videos
Travel and accommodation costs under the MRCA can be paid/reimbursed for costs reasonably incurred for the purposes of:
- attending a rehabilitation assessment (Section 47); and/or
- attending treatment for an injury or disease (Sections 290 and 291); and/or
- transporting another person to a hospital or other institution or a mortuary after that person has sustained an accepted injury, contracted a disease or died (Section 297); and/or
- transporting a wholly dependent partner or an eligible young person entitled to treatment under the MRCA to a hospital or other institution (section 297); and/or
- attending a medical examination at the request of the Commission at any time after a claim is lodged (Section 328), for liability or compensation purposes.
Travel and accommodation costs can also be paid for travelling to obtain medical evidence or attending a review hearing by the Veterans' Review Board (VRB) (Section 353). These provisions have been imported directly from the Veterans Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA).
This section contains the following topics: