Issues

Treatment Cards for SRCA Claimants

This issue dates as far back as 1996 after the Blackhawk crash in Townsville with continous lobbying and representation to the Minister for Veterans Affairs each and every Minister change.

We are aware that the RSL has passed a resolution at their National Congress to seek a treatment card for SRCA recipients. Not sure what has happend since.

This issue was raised at the National Younger Veterans Consultative Forum by the ISPA and is being investigated by DVA & MCRS. To date nothing has eventuated other than submissions to the Military Compensation Review.

Read the 'Specific treatment card paper' submitted to DVA.

Compensation Offsetting

Under the SRCA & VEA arrangements compensation for the same condition claimed under the two Acts is offset to prevent 'double dipping'. No-one has a problem with that.

Under the MRCA a claimant can have offsetting applied even if conditions are different. A claim made under the SRCA will offset any claims made under the MRCA even though they are different.

This has resulted in PI payments of $0 even though a 10 IP's are applied.

Compensation

Under the MRCA, there are three categories of service:

  • warlike service
  • non warlike service
  • peacetime service

This has resulted in a difference of compensation depending on where injury/disease occured.

Under the VEA there is one compensation scale even though there are different catorgories of service.

Under the SRCA there is one compensation scale even though it applies to defence personnel and commonwealth public servants.

V.V.C.S

The Veteran and Veterans Family Counselling Service is not available to peacetime service ex-service men or women in an ongoing format. In emergency cases such as self harm and suicide issues services can be provided for up to 5 sessions. Arrangements can be made for services to be made available closer to the clients home.

To be eligible to access the VVCS a person must have qualifying/operational or peacekeeping service. Where a veteran or ex-service person has an accepted mental health condition and has a white or gold card they can also seek assistance.

This also applies to some DVA health programs.

We are trying to establish an information service for service providers that peacetime service people can access.

Should you have need to seek counselling or a friendly ear you can contact:

Lifeline: 13 11 14 - 24hrs

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636