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Budget Supplementary Estimates 2010-2011

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Businessline Department of Veterans’ Affairs Redacted Copy Blue Book Section 1: Portfolio Overview Section 1: Portfolio Overview Section 1: Portfolio Overview SECTION 1 – PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW 1. VETERANS’ AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW AND STRUCTURE 5 1.1. Repatriation Commission 9 1.2. Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (MRCC) 11 1.3. Department of Veterans’ Affairs - Operational Structure 14 - Organisational Chart 25 1.4. Veterans’ Review Board (VRB) 26 1.5. Repatriation Medical Authority (RMA) 27 1.6. Specialist Medical Review Council (SMRC) 28 1.7. Australian War Memorial 29 - Council - Director and Senior Management 1.8. Portfolio Executive Contact Numbers 31 1.9. Summary of Benefits and Services DVA provides to Clients 32 1.10. Veteran Community Numbers 37 2. ASSOCIATED INSTITUTIONS 39 2.1. Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health 39 2.2. Australian Centre for Post-traumatic Mental Health 39 3. PORTFOLIO LEGISLATION 41 3.1. Legislation Administered by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs 41 3.2. Powers under the Key Legislation for the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs 43 3.3. Different Statutory Office Holder Arrangements in the Portfolio 46 4. STATUTORY APPOINTMENTS 47 5. STAFFING OVERVIEW 49 5.1. Department of Veterans’ Affairs 49 5.2. Australian War Memorial 50 6. OUTCOME/OUTPUT STRUCTURE 51 7. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 54 8. PLANNING 56 8.1. Department of Veterans’ Affairs 56 - Strategic Plan 2010-15 - Corporate Plan 2010-11 - ICT Strategic Plan 2010-15 - Workforce Strategy 2010-15 - Strategic Financial Plan 2010-15 8.2. Australian War Memorial Corporate Plan 2008-11 58 Section 1: Portfolio Overview 9. SERVICE CHARTERS 59 9.1. Department of Veterans’ Affairs 59 9.2. Australian War Memorial 59 10. PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK 60 10.1. External Reporting 60 10.2. Fraud Control 60 10.3. Internal Audit 61 10.4. Risk Management 61 10.5. Protective Security 61 11. CONSULTATIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON EX SERVICE MATTERS 62 11.1. Background 62 11.2. Current Position 62 11.3. Prime Ministerial Advisory Council (PMAC) 63 11.4. Ex-Service Organisations Round Table (ESORT) 63 11.5. Current and Former Serving Members of the ADF Emerging Issues Forum 64 11.6. National Mental Health Forum 64 11.7. Operational Working Party 64 11.8. National Health, Aged and Community Care Forum 65 11.9. Deputy Commissioner Forums 65 11.10. Family Study Program Scientific Advisory Committee 66 11.11. Family Study Program Consultative Forum 66 11.12. Timor-Leste Family Study Program Consultative Forum 66 11.13. National Advisory Committee (VVCS) 67 12. DVA LINKS WITH DEFENCE 68 12.1. Defence/DVA Links Steering Committee 68 12.2. Defence/DVA Health Consultative Forum (HCF) 68 12.3. Lifecycle Advisory Group (LAG) 68 12.4. Single Access Mechanism (SAM) 69 12.5. Keeping in Touch Program 69 12.6. Purchasing of Hospital Procedure Centre Services 69 12.7. JeHDI Project 69 12.8. Un-recovered War Casualties 70 13. DVA LINKS WITH OTHER AGENCIES / ORGANISATIONS 71 13.1. Interdepartmental Working Group for Streamlining Administration of 71 Transitioning and Former ADF Members 13.2. Heads of Workers’ Compensation Authorities 71 13.3. Department of Human Services 72 13.4. Medicare Australia 72 13.5. Centrelink 72 13.6. Department of Health and Ageing 72 Section 1: Portfolio Overview 13.7. Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous 74 Affairs 13.8. Department of Finance and Deregulation 74 13.9. Department of Treasury 74 13.10. Australian Government Actuary 75 13.11. ComSuper 75 13.12. Comcare 75 13.13. Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations 75 13.14. Commonwealth Ombudsman 75 13.15. Office of the Privacy Commissioner 76 13.16. Department of Immigration and Citizenship 77 13.17. Australian Valuation Office 77 13.18. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 77 13.19. Australian Government Solicitor 77 13.20. Registrar of Birth, Deaths and Marriages 78 13.21. Service Delivery Arrangements in Regional Australia 78 14. COOPERATION WITH OVERSEAS VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 79 AGENCIES 14.1. Ministerial International Forum 79 14.2. Senior Officers International Forum 79 14.3. Australian – New Zealand Bilateral Committee 79 14.4. Commonwealth War Graves Commission 80 15. ANNUAL CALENDAR OF KEY FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 81 16. APPROPRIATIONS 82 16.1. Department of Veterans’ Affairs 82 16.2. Australian War Memorial 84 17. DISCRETIONARY GRANTS AND ASSISTANCE 87 17.1. Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Grants Program 88 17.2. Training and Information Program (TIP) 89 17.3. Saluting Their Service Commemorations Grants Program 89 17.4. Veteran and Community Grants 89 17.5. Overseas Privately Constructed Memorial Restoration Program 90 18. GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS 91 Section 1: Portfolio Overview Attachments: Annual Reports: • Department of Veterans’ Affairs including the Repatriation Commission, Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission and National Treatment Monitoring Committee 2008-09. (separate book) • The Australian War Memorial 2008-09 Services Charter: • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Portfolio Plans: • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Strategic Plan 2010-15 • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Corporate Plan 2010-11 • Department of Veterans’ Affairs ICT Strategic Plan 2010-15 • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Workforce Strategy 2010-15 Other: • Portfolio Budget Statements 2010-11 (separate book) • Treatment Population Statistics – Quarterly Report – June 2010 • DVA Pensioner Summary – June 2010 Section 1: Portfolio Overview 1. VETERANS’ AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW AND STRUCTURE The Veterans’ Affairs portfolio is made up of a number of agencies and bodies responsible for carrying out government policy and implementing programs to fulfil Australia’s obligations to war veterans, members of the Australian Defence Force and their dependants. They are: • Repatriation Commission; • Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (MRCC); • Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA); • VVCS - Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service; • Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG); • Veterans’ Children Education Board; • Veterans’ Review Board (VRB); • Repatriation Medical Authority (RMA); • Specialist Medical Review Council (SMRC); and • Australian War Memorial (AWM). The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is the primary service delivery agency, responsible for developing and implementing programs that assist the veteran and defence force communities. The Department’s day to day activities are directed by two Commissions – the Repatriation Commission and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (MRCC). These two bodies hold most of the powers under their relevant legislation which in turn are delegated to officers in the Department. The management structure of the Veterans’ Affairs portfolio has proven highly effective as a result of key personnel having multiple appointments. The Secretary of the Department is the President of the Repatriation Commission and Chair of the MRCC. The Deputy President of the Repatriation Commission, in addition to being a member of the MRCC, assists the Secretary in the management of the Department, undertaking the duties of a Deputy Secretary. The third member of the Repatriation Commission, the services member, is also on the MRCC. Under the direction of the two Commissions, DVA provides wide-ranging programs and services that can be broadly grouped into three main areas – care including rehabilitation; income support and compensation; and commemoration and war graves. Care including Rehabilitation The Department is charged with providing high quality holistic care to members and former members of the Defence Force who have had a claim for liability for an injury or disease accepted under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA), Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRCA) or Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA). Care extends also to members of the wider veteran community such as war widows/widowers and dependants. While the person is still enlisted in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), even if they have an accepted claim, Defence has prime responsibility for the majority of their health care. DVA provides care primarily through contracts and service arrangements with a wide range of service providers, including hospitals, doctors, specialists and allied health Section 1: Portfolio Overview professionals. It is one of the largest purchasers of health care access in the country. Access to treatment is on the basis of clinical need. Rehabilitation services are provided to those with eligibility under the SRCA and the MRCA. With a rehabilitation focus, the SRCA and the MRCA aim to maximise the potential to restore a person who has an impairment, or an incapacity for service or work, as a result of a service injury or disease to at least the same physical and psychological state, and at least the same social, vocational and educational status, as he or she had before the injury or disease. Access to health care services is initially provided for those conditions that are accepted as having been caused by military service, with eligibility determined by the legislation and identified through a series of Repatriation Health Cards. Clarification of a veteran’s health entitlement or eligibility can be obtained by contacting the Department. Repatriation Health Cards are currently only issued pursuant to VEA and MRCA entitlements. Access to health treatment for SRCA clients is outside of the card arrangements as the SRCA has no provision for issuing of health
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