Department of Veterans' Affairs (Australia)
The Department of Veterans' Affairs is a department of the Australian Government, established in 1976, and charged with the responsibility of delivering government programs for veterans, as well as members of the Defence Force">Department of Defence (Australia)">Defence Force, Australian Federal Police, and their dependants.
The current Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs is Alison Frame, who succeeded Elizabeth Cosson as secretary on 23 January 2023.
For administrative purposes, the department forms part of the Defence portfolio. The Minister for Defence acts on behalf of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs within the Cabinet.
The head of the department is the Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, who is responsible to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Minister for Defence Personnel, and the Assistant Minister for Veterans' Affairs. The Secretary of the Department also has responsibility for the Repatriation Commission and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission.
Operational activities
The purpose of the department is to support the wellbeing of those who serve or have served in the defence of Australia, and their families.The department deals with the following matters:
- Repatriation income support, compensation and health programmes for veterans, members of the Defence Force, certain mariners and their dependants.
- Delivering meaningful commemorations, including promotion of understanding of Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and Vietnam Veterans' Day.
- Maintaining or providing war graves and memorials.
- Defence Service Homes.
Agencies
In carrying out its functions, the department administers the following agencies:- Australian War Memorial
- Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission
- Office of Australian War Graves
- Repatriation Commission
- Repatriation Medical Authority
- Specialist Medical Review Council
- Veterans’ Children Education Boards
- Veterans' Review Board
Key legislation
The Department of Veterans' Affairs is responsible for administration of several key Acts:*
Key officeholders
Department secretary
The Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs is Alison Frame, since 23 January 2023. 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.
| Order | Official | Official title | Date appointment commenced | Date appointment ceased | Term in office | Notes | - |
| 1 | Sir | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | 1981 | years | served as Secretary to the Repatriation Department since 1970 | - | |
| 2 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | 1981 | years | - | |||
| 3 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | - | |||||
| 4 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | - | |||||
| 5 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | 1994 | 1996 | years | - | ||
| 6 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | - | |||||
| 7 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | 2008 | years | - | |||
| 8 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | - | |||||
| 9 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | July 2013 | 18 May 2018 | acting between May and July 2013 | - | ||
| 10 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | - | - | ||||
| 11 | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | incumbent |