FOI Disclosure Log 2011-2022

Regarding DVA fraud investigations:

• number of current cases on hand at year end
• number of cases referred to DPP and/or AFP
• number of convictions
• value of fraud recovered ($).

For the 2013/ 14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 financial years and the 2016/17 financial year to date:

1. Number of people about whom Code of Conduct complaints have been alleged by clients of the Department;
2. Number of people about whom Code of Conduct complaints have been alleged by clients of DVA in which DVA formally appointed an officer to investigate the Code of Conduct breach/es alleged;
3. Number of Code of Conduct complaints (as set out at #1 and #2) that relate to privacy-related matters.

1. The revocation of approval for Camp Gallipoli’s use of the word ‘Anzac’;
2. Any reports and/or evaluations and/or assessments and/or advice about the commercialisation of ‘Anzac’; and
3. Any reports and/or evaluations and/or assessments and/or advice about monies raised by the use and/or commercialisation of ‘Anzac’.

1. The number of DVA claims awaiting reconsideration.
2. The number of claims currently with DVA.
3. The number of veteran suicides since 2011.
4. The number of workers compensation claims submitted by DVA staff.
5. The number of current and past serving DVA staff who have committed suicide.
6. The number of veterans who attended Dr Kostos and Dr Sheehan (DVA appointed reporting doctors) in the last ten years and have committed suicide.
7. The number of veterans who have committed suicide after having their claims dealt with by the Reconsiderations Department of DVA.
8. The amount DVA, including the Reconsideration Department, has spent on lawyers, legal firms and barristers in the last five years.
9. The average time taken to process a claim for reconsideration.
10. Systems DVA has in place to monitor young veterans and steps taken to avoid suicide amount the young veteran community.

1. Current social media policy of the department, which covers departmental use and/or private use by employees in an individual capacity.
2. Any current guidance material which is available for employees to make informed decisions about their private social media use.

1. The names of other organisations used by DVA to write reports (other than MLCOA) and the percentage of the total number of reports written by MLCOA.
2. The average amount DVA pays MLCOA doctors for their reports.
3. The number of complaints DVA has received from veterans against doctors engaged by DVA for medico-legal service.
4. Documents outlining any training material, directions or correspondence provided to MLCOA doctors when dealing with veterans.

Excluding World War 2 and Pre-1972 Vietnam Veterans claims:

1. The total number of claims accepted, where smoking after 1973 has been accepted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs as Service Related.
2. The Individual breakdown of Statement of Principle Conditions that have smoking as a factor within those claims and have been accepted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs as Service related.

1. A copy of the original unedited draft research composed by Monash for the 2003 Australian Gulf War Veterans Health Study, and
2. Copies of all correspondence between DVA and Monash regarding any and all DVA proposed changes to the researchers original work, and
3. A copy of the original unedited draft research composed by Monash for the (2009-14) current Australian Gulf War Veterans Health Study, and
4. Copies of all correspondence between DVA and Monash regarding any and all DVA proposed changes to the researcher’s original work.

1. What funding (quantum) has been granted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and/or the Office of Australian War Graves to the Torres Strait Regional Island Council for the purpose if erection and/or maintenance of military service memorials between 1 January and 31 December 2015?
2. If funding grants have been approved in relation to the above-mentioned; have the funds been expended by the recipient, if not, what funds remain unallocated, and, by what date must the funds be expended and reported as to the use of such funds.

From April 30 2005 and ending April 30 2015:

1. A list of all entities that are approved to use of the word ANZAC as is required under the Protection of Word ‘Anzac’ Regulations 1921 (Cth);
2. A list of all entities that have been denied approval of the use of the word ‘Anzac’ under the provisions provided by the Protection of Word ‘Anzac’ Regulations 1921 (Cth);
3. A list of all entities that are approved to import goods bearing the word ‘Anzac’ under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations;
4. A list of entities that have been denied approval to import goods bearing the word ‘Anzac’ under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations.

Statistics on overpayments to veterans caused by admin errors within DVA

1. By number
2. By amount
3. By State/Territory

1. The number of veterans of recent conflicts who have received compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD, and the number of pending claims now before the DVA;
2. The number of veterans of the Iraq conflict who have received compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD, and the number of pending claims now before the DVA;
3. The number of Afghanistan veterans who have received compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD, and the number of pending claims now before the DVA;
4. The dollar value of compensation made under any of the schemes available to all veterans due to a diagnosis of PTSD;
5. The dollar value of compensation made to veterans of the Iraq conflict who due to a diagnosis of PTSD;
6. The dollar value of compensation made to veterans of the Afghanistan conflict who have received compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD;
7. The average amount of compensation paid to a veteran of the East Timor conflict due to a PTSD claim;
8. The average amount of compensation paid to a veteran of the Iraq conflict due to a PTSD claim;
9. The average amount of compensation paid to a veteran of the Afghanistan conflict due to a PTSD claim;
10. The maximum amount of compensation paid to a veteran of the East Timor conflict due to a PTSD claim;
11. The maximum amount of compensation paid to a veteran of the Iraq conflict due to a PTSD claim; and
12. The maximum amount of compensation paid to a veteran of the Afghanistan conflict due to a PTSD claim.

1. Access to the functional design brief related to a proposed Australian interpretative centre at Villers-Bretonneux, France.
2. Documents related to project costings that are not subject to cabinet confidentiality.

1. A copy of the original unedited draft research composed by Monash University for the 2003 Australian Gulf War Veterans Health, and
2. Copies of all correspondence between DVA and Monash regarding any and all DVA proposed changes to the researcher’s original work, and
3. A copy of the original unedited draft research composed by Monash for the (2009-14) current Australian Gulf War Veterans Health Study, and
4. Copies of all correspondence between DVA and Monash regarding any and all DVA proposed changes to the researcher’s original work.

Details of the Standing Offer arrangement between the Department and Baptist Care NSW/ACT, specifically:

1. Is Baptist Care NSW/ACT a continuing supplier to the Department?
2. What is the dollar value of this arrangement?
3. When does this arrangement expire?

All correspondence regarding a letter dated 17 December 2012 from the Secretary and includes:

1. All correspondence between DVA and the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade (FADT) secretariat;
2. Specifically, all correspondence between the business unit now known as Parliamentary and Governance and any third party in relation to the Secretary’s letter;
3. The electronic records on the Secretary’s letter that tracks who took what actions, and when;
4. All diary entries, minutes and agenda for any meetings held with regards the Secretary’s letter;
5. Specifically, all emails, notes or explanatory material held by DVA, or communicated to a third party, as to why the Secretary’s letter was listed so late on the FADT website, and the same with regards any request as to how the Secretary’s letter was to be listed on the FADT website.

1. The document or policy guide used by the Director of Appeals (DVA) to determine travel, accommodation and associated costs involved in hearings of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
2. A list or details of the most recent costs for transport, accommodation and food, incurred, approved or billed, by a particular law firm when travelling to Cairns from Brisbane for Administrative Appeal Tribunal hearings.
3. Further to point 2, if no recent trips to Cairns have occurred, then the same costs involved when travelling to another city within Australia.
4. Details of the costs paid by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to the legal firm requested are, Airline travelled and class of ticket, Hotel used and star rating, and meal and other transport costs such as taxi or limousine services.
5. No names or specific dates are requested.

1. A de-identified document detailing the reason(s) for a decision to accept a claim for multiple myeloma under any scheme administered by DVA.
2. A de-identified document detailing the reason(s) for a decision to reject a claim for multiple myeloma under any scheme administered by DVA, particularly if that decision was subject to review.

1. The total number of liability type applications determined under the current SOP 11 of 2013 or under its preceding issues, but only back to 10/01/2001, (the date of effect of the second major amendment to the original SOP;
2. The total number of liability type applications submitted for acceptance under the current SOP 11 of 2013, but only since its date of effect of 13/03/2013;
3. Of the number given in answer to 2. above, how many such applications, were finally accepted as service related?; and
4. Of the number given in answer to 2. above, how many were submitted by BNT participants or their representative/s?

Any statistical or data records related to or giving:

1. The total number of liability type applications submitted for acceptance under SOPs 11 and 12 of 2013 or under their preceding issues, back to when the Reasonable Hypothesis standard of proof was introduced; and
2. Of the above, how many such applications were successful to some degree?; and
3. Of the number given in answer to 2. above, how many were submitted by BNT participants or their representative/s?

1. The number of veterans of recent conflicts who have received compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD, and the number of pending claims now before the DVA;
2. The number of veterans of the Iraq conflict who have received compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD, and the number of pending claims now before the DVA;
3. The number of Afghanistan veterans who have received compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD, and the number of pending claims now before the DVA;
4. The dollar value of compensation made under any of the schemes available to all veterans due to a diagnosis of PTSD;
5. The dollar value of compensation made to veterans of the Iraq conflict who due to a diagnosis of PTSD;
6. The dollar value of compensation made to veterans of the Afghanistan conflict who have received compensation due to a diagnosis of PTSD;
7. The maximum amount of compensation paid to a veteran of the Iraq conflict due to a PTSD claim;
8. The maximum amount of compensation paid to a veteran of the Afghanistan conflict due to a PTSD claim.

1. Departmental Instructions for Researchers for Historical and Factual information relating to claims of veterans;
2. Departmental Privacy and Confidentiality Policy of Researcher’s Reports;
3. Any documents that relate to the contractual obligations of contracted Researchers to the Department; and
4. Any Ministerial directions that relate to Researchers contracted by DVA.

1. The number of claims for service caused Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Injury or Post Traumatic Stress conditions made to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs since 2004.
2. The number of claims where liability was initially accepted for these conditions since 2004.
3. The number of claims where liability was accepted on appeal of an initial decision that denied liability since 2004.
4. The number of claimants who have committed suicide since 2004.
5. The number of claimants who have become deceased since 2004.

1. Copies of the research and any attachments relating to the contract [with the Uni of Qld for research into Veterans of Rwanda deployment 1994/95];
2. Commentary on the results from within the department or other people; and 3. Documents from before the research on why it was needed.