Delivered to Parliament on 14 August 2017 by the Hon Dan Tehan MP Minister for Veterans’ Affairs DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS AND ITS CLIENTS For almost a century, the mission of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs has been to support those who serve, or have served in defence of our nation and to commemorate their service and sacrifice. DVA supports about 291,000 clients. Half of them are either veterans or serving members of the ADF. 48 percent are women. Around 72,000 are widows or dependants over the age of 79 and some 2,500 are dependent children. DVA is currently in a period of significant change. The overall number of clients is falling. More than 201,000 of DVA’s clients are 65 years or over while only around 23,000 are under 40. At the same time, the Department is seeing more clients from modern conflicts, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. These younger clients have different needs and expectations. The services DVA provides include income support, compensation, health care, rehabilitation services, counselling, transport assistance, transition assistance, home care assistance; supporting commemorative activities; war graves; education; and grants funding. As at June 2017, 193,968 DVA clients had DVA Health Cards. Of these, 135,000 had Gold Health Cards providing free health care for any condition. A further 58,000 had White Health Cards, which provide free health care for certain conditions. It is expected that the number of White Cards will increase with the take up of the new scheme of non-liability healthcare for mental health conditions. One in seven Australians over the age of 85 have a DVA Health Card. DVA provides pensions and benefits to veterans who have served in the ADF and to their dependants.
Delivered to Parliament on 14 August 2017 by the Hon Dan Tehan MP Minister for Veterans’ Affairs DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS AND ITS CLIENTS For almost a century, the mission of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs has been to support those who serve, or have served in defence of our nation and to commemorate their service and sacrifice. DVA supports about 291,000 clients. Half of them are either veterans or serving members of the ADF. 48 percent are women. Around 72,000 are widows or dependants over the age of 79 and some 2,500 are dependent children. DVA is currently in a period of significant change. The overall number of clients is falling. More than 201,000 of DVA’s clients are 65 years or over while only around 23,000 are under 40. At the same time, the Department is seeing more clients from modern conflicts, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. These younger clients have different needs and expectations. The services DVA provides include income support, compensation, health care, rehabilitation services, counselling, transport assistance, transition assistance, home care assistance; supporting commemorative activities; war graves; education; and grants funding. As at June 2017, 193,968 DVA clients had DVA Health Cards. Of these, 135,000 had Gold Health Cards providing free health care for any condition. A further 58,000 had White Health Cards, which provide free health care for certain conditions. It is expected that the number of White Cards will increase with the take up of the new scheme of non-liability healthcare for mental health conditions. One in seven Australians over the age of 85 have a DVA Health Card. DVA provides pensions and benefits to veterans who have served in the ADF and to their dependants.
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