Veterans' & Families' Benefits Reform Enacted
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide’s Interim Report recommended the urgent simplification and harmonisation of the veteran compensation and rehabilitation system.
On 13 February 2025, the Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2024 (VETS Act) was passed by Parliament.
This recommendation has now been put to effect through the Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2024 – the VETS Act - which brings the three current systems governing veterans’ entitlements under a single Act: an improved Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA).
This reform will make it easier for veterans and families to understand their entitlements, simpler for advocates to support veterans making DVA claims, and it will streamline claims processing within the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
The changes come into effect on 1 July 2026 and no veteran will see a reduction in their current payments.
The legislation will open a pathway to a Gold Card for many veterans that were previously not eligible.
New claims made after 1 July 2026 will all come under the improved MRCA. Some current payment recipients, such as the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) incapacity payment recipients, will transfer to MRCA incapacity payments on commencement, resulting in an increase in payments.
Veterans currently under the DRCA will also have access to appeal DVA decisions to the Veteran Review Board for the first time from early April 2025.
For more information on the new legislation, visit the DVA website.