Data matching

This page provides information about the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) data matching program. It includes information about the role of the Privacy Commission.

What is data matching?

Data matching is where DVA compares its information on a person to the information held by other government departments or agencies in order to reduce the risk of the person receiving an incorrect payment.

Why do we have data matching?

Data matching is carried out to check that individuals are receiving the correct level of Government assistance for which they are entitled and that their DVA payments are correct.

With whom do we match our records?

DVA matches its records with the:

• Services Australia (Centrelink)
• Australian Securities and Investment Commission
• Australian Taxation Office
• Department of Health
• Registrars for Births, Deaths and Marriages in each state
• Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation
• Department for Work and Pensions UK
• Department of Social Development, Northern Ireland.

Personal information

This Department cannot disclose your personal information without authorisation. There are severe penalties for misuse or unauthorised disclosure.

Role of the Privacy Commissioner

The role of the Privacy Commissioner is to monitor measures to help ensure your privacy is protected and to investigate complaints about acts or practices that may interfere with the privacy of an individual.

A document called the Program Protocol is held by the Federal Privacy Commissioner. This document outlines the nature and the purpose of the data matching and is available from the Privacy Commissioner.

The Federal Privacy Commissioner can be contacted on 1300 363 992.

Obligations

The Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) requires that service pension, Disability Compensation Payment, income support supplement (ISS) and veteran payment recipients and claimants, as well as holders of Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards (CSHC), be notified of their obligations in relation to their pension, payment or benefit.

These obligations require that service pension, ISS and veteran payment recipients and claimants, and CSHC holders advise DVA within 14 days (28 days if you live overseas or receive remote area allowance) of an event or change of circumstance that might affect their rate of pension, payment or their eligibility to receive that pension or payment.

These obligations also require Disability Compensation Payment recipients to advise DVA within 21 days of certain events or changes of circumstance that might affect their rate of Disability Compensation Payment or treatment benefits.

It is important for DVA to be kept advised of a person’s circumstances to make sure the right rate of payment is made, from the right date.