The Department of Veterans' Affairs is a department of the

Government of Australia The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federalism, federal parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster system, Westminster-sty ...

, established in 1976, and charged with the responsibility of delivering government programs for

war veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...

s, members of the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...

, members of the Australian Federal Police, and their dependants. The current

Secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a ...

of the Department of Veterans' Affairs is

Elizabeth Cosson Major general (Australia), Major General Elizabeth Cosson, (born 1958) served as Departmental secretary, Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (Australia), Department of Veterans' Affairs from 2018-2023. Cosson "vowed" to resign as ...

, who succeeded Simon Lewis as secretary on 19 May 2018. For administration purposes, the department forms part of the

Defence Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indus ...

portfolio. The Minister for Defence acts on behalf of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs within the

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...

Operational activities

The functions of the department are broadly classified into the following matters: *

Repatriation Repatriation is the process of returning a thing or a person to its country of origin or citizenship. The term may refer to non-human entities, such as converting a foreign currency into the currency of one's own country, as well as to the pro ...

income support, compensation and health program for veterans, members of the Defence Force, certain mariners and their dependants *Commemorations, including promotion of understanding of Anzac Day,

Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...

and Vietnam Veterans' Day *

War grave A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations. Definition The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to b ...

s *Defence Service Homes

Agencies

In carrying out its functions, the department administers the following agencies: *

Australian War Memorial The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia and some conflicts involving pe ...

*Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission *

Office of Australian War Graves The Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) is a branch within the Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs. The branch was initially a stand-alone agency, formed 1 January 1975. In 1980, the ''War Graves Act 1980 (Cth)'' formalised t ...

*Repatriation Commission *Repatriation Medical Authority *Specialist Medical Review Council *Veterans’ Children Education Boards *

Veterans' Review Board The Veterans' Review Board (VRB) is a statutory body within the Australian Government's Veterans' Affairs Veterans' affairs is an area of public policy concerned with relations between a government and its communities of military veterans. Som ...

Key legislation

The Department of Veterans' Affairs is responsible for administration of several key

Acts The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its message ...

: * * * * *

Key officeholders

Department secretary

The Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs is

Liz Cosson Major General Elizabeth Cosson, (born 1958) served as Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs from 2018-2023. Cosson "vowed" to resign as Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, on 19 July 2020, if she cannot improve the d ...

, since May 2018. In addition to her role of departmental secretary, she is also the President of the Repatriation Commission and Chair of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission. Below is a full list of the Department's Secretaries since it was established.

Other key officeholders

Other key officeholders in the department are the Deputy President of the Repatriation Commission, currently Major General Craig Orme; and the Repatriation Commissioner, currently Major General

Mark Kelly Mark Edward Kelly (born February 21, 1964) is an American politician, former astronaut, and United States Navy captain who has served as the junior United States senator from Arizona since 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, he was electe ...

AO DSC.

References

External links

Department of Veterans' Affairs web site

Australia Federal Government Administrative Arrangements
{{authority control 1976 establishments in Australia

Veterans' Affairs Veterans' affairs is an area of public policy concerned with relations between a government and its communities of military veterans. Some jurisdictions have a designated government agency or department, a Department of Veterans' Affairs, Minist ...

Ministries established in 1976 Veterans' affairs in Australia

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...