What the Budget means for the veteran community

The Government has allocated $11.7 billion to DVA in the 2020–21 Budget to deliver a range of services and supports for our 220,000 veterans and 100,000 dependants.

The Budget focuses on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our veterans and their families, and providing the best possible support for those transitioning to civilian life and into meaningful employment.

Budget measures where DVA is the lead agency, include:

  • $101.7 million to boost mental health support for veterans, including the expansion of Open Arms and expanded eligibility of the Coordinated Veterans’ Care Program to certain White Card holders
  • $64.1 million in supplementary funding to support DVA’s claims processing, accessing treatment and support services, as well as to improve data sharing and analytics between DVA and the Department of Defence.
  • $25.9 million for additional support for Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) veterans, particularly for those paying private rent
  • $6.0 million to broaden the Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Program
  • $1.1 million to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War.

There are also a number of measures managed by other Australian Government departments that benefit veterans and their families. They include establishing the Joint Transition Authority within the Department of Defence, which will run in partnership with DVA and the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, and a range of health-related measures to promote better wellbeing outcomes for our veterans and their families. 

For a full breakdown of the Budget, visit the Budget 2020–21 page.

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