The Ex-Service Organisations Round Table (ESORT) met on Tuesday, 3 December 2024. A range of issues were discussed during the meeting, including the Government’s response to the Final Report of the Royal
Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
DVA update Acting Secretary Andrew Kefford PSM
Topical issues
Acting Secretary Andrew Kefford provided an update to members on topical issues. He noted that in the first 3 months of this financial year, DVA received 25,524 claims, which was a 37.1 per cent increase on the same period last year.
Over the same period, DVA also made 24,780 determinations – a 6.7 per cent increase on the previous year. He advised that, as at 30 September 2024, more than half of all claims DVA had on hand had been received within the last 200 days, and around one third were received in the last 100 days.
For MRCA Initial Liability claims received from 1 December 2023 and determined by 30 September, the average time taken to process was 84 days. He said that DVA was also taking action on a number of fronts to target unscrupulous medical providers and commission-based fee-for-service advocates.
Acting Secretary Kefford advised that more than $3.7 million has been allocated to community organisations through the 2023–24 Veteran Wellbeing Grants program. He noted 69 grants have been awarded to deliver community- based projects and activities that benefit veteran health and wellbeing. He said Ex-Service Organisations Round Table December 2024 Ex-Service Organisations Round Table December 2024 2 ESORT Communique – December 2024 the 2024–25 round of the Veteran Wellbeing Grants program is now open, with over $3.8 million of funding available to benefit veterans and families. Eligible organisations can apply for small grants of up to $50,000 and large grants of up to $200,000, an increase from the $150,000 available in the last round. The current round closes on 17 December 2024.
Acting Secretary Kefford advised that Australia’s top veteran employers and employees were recognised at the Prime Minister’s National Veteran Employment Awards in Canberra on 26 November. He noted that Australians planning to honour the fallen at the 2025 Anzac Day Dawn Services in Türkiye or France can now register for their free attendance
passes. He noted that the late Private Richard Norden was recently awarded a Victoria Cross for Australia for his gallantry during the Battle of Fire Support Base Coral in the Vietnam War.
Acting Secretary Kefford also thanked ESORT members for their assistance during the year and said DVA was looking forward to working with them again in 2025 to implement the Government’s response to the Final Report of the
Royal Commission. He also noted that the Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024 remains before the Parliament and is expected to be considered on Parliament’s return in February 2025.
Government’s response to the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide
Acting Secretary Andrew Kefford updated members on the Government’s response to the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, which was released yesterday. He said the Government has accepted the overwhelming majority of the Royal Commission’s 122 recommendations: agreeing or agreeing-in-principle to 104 recommendations, noting 17 recommendations for further consideration and one recommendation is not supported in part.
Acting Secretary Kefford said the Government announced it will establish a new statutory entity the Defence and Veterans Services Comission to oversee enduring and systemic reform. This entity will provide independent oversight
and evidence-based advice to improve suicide prevention, and drive better outcomes for serving and ex-serving ADF personnel.
The Government will also establish a Taskforce in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet which will draw in expertise from across Government as well as external experts to consider matters of detailed implementation.
The Government has also directed DVA to co-design, with the veteran community, a new agency focused on wellbeing to be established within DVA. This body will be focused on consultation and co-design with Defence and veteran communities, and their families, to ensure the agency meets their needs.
The Government will also fund DVA to continue consultation on the development of a national ex-service organisation peak body.
Acting Secretary Kefford noted that the Government’s response outlines significant reform across Defence and the veteran support system. He stressed that DVA is committed to enacting the Government’s response and delivering
on the recommendations accepted by the Government. He said working through the recommendations, many of which intersect one another, will take time, especially as DVA will need to work closely with other agencies and the
veteran community.
Members discussed the various aspects of the Government’s response, the implementation process, consultation and the importance of engagement and partnerships.
Acting Secretary Kefford said the Government’s response is a blueprint for reform to not only address suicide and suicidality in the veteran community, but also to improve veteran wellbeing in many other areas. He stressed the
Government’s response provides clear direction to the Department on priority work for the years ahead and marks the start of a new chapter in how DVA supports the veteran community. He noted that the Department has undertaken significant preparatory work so that it is well placed to quickly enact the Government’s response and acknowledged the work that DVA has already achieved over the last 3 years. He said DVA now looks forward to getting on with the job so veterans and veteran families are better supported now and in the future. He stressed there would be significant and
comprehensive consultation with ESORT members in the New Year.
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