Appendix 1 Legal Aid Assistance for Veterans and Families

Last updated:

On this page

  1. Legal Aid New South Wales (Veterans’ Advocacy Service)
  2. Legal Aid Queensland
  3. Victoria Legal Aid
  4. Tasmanian Legal Aid
  5. Legal Aid ACT
  6. Legal Services Commission South Australia
  7. Legal Aid Western Australia
  8. Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission

Back to top

Veterans' Advocacy Service assists war veterans, former and current serving members of the Defence Forces and their dependants to obtain pensions, compensation and other entitlements administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, including advice on the merit of lodging claims and assistance in appealing to the Veterans' Review Board, the Administrative Review Tribunal and the Federal Court. This service is available for all veterans and is not subject to a means test.  

Back to top

Veterans or war widows who are claiming for war-caused disability benefits can get assistance with their cases from Legal Aid Queensland. Veterans or war widows can access free legal help to appeal decisions made about disability entitlements to the Administrative Review Tribunal. The veteran must have performed the relevant service in war times or other operations overseas. This assistance is not subject to a means test, although it is subject to a merits test. Read more about the free legal help for war veterans.

Back to top

Victoria Legal Aid may make a grant of legal assistance to a war veteran or to a dependant of a war veteran for an appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) from certain decisions of the Veterans’ Review Board. This assistance is not subject to a means test, although it is subject to a merits test. Read more about Guideline 5 - war veterans' matters.

Back to top

The Legal Aid Commission may make a grant of legal assistance to an applicant for assistance who is currently serving or ex-service personnel or a dependent of currently serving or ex-service personnel in relation to appeals to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) from certain decisions of the Veterans’ Review Board. This assistance is not subject to a means test, although it is subject to a merits test. Read more about the Guidelines, p. 42.

Back to top

The Legal Aid Commission may make a Grant of Legal Assistance to an applicant for assistance who is a war veteran or a dependent of a war veteran in relation to appeals to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) from certain decisions of the Veterans’ Review Board if any of the below apply to the case:

  • the veteran may incriminate themselves
  • complexity
  • requires significant medical evidence
  • the veteran is unable to represent themselves due to a list of vulnerabilities or disadvantage
  • the Commission decides it involves an important or complex questions of law.

This assistance is not subject to a means test, although it is subject to a merits test. Read more about the Guidelines, p. 35.

Back to top

The Legal Services Commission may make a grant of legal assistance to an applicant for assistance who is a war veteran or a dependent of a war veteran in relation to appeals to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) from certain decisions of the Veterans’ Review Board (that must be war caused) if any of the below apply to the case:

  • the veteran may incriminate themselves
  • complexity
  • requires significant medical evidence
  • the veteran is unable to represent themselves due to a list of vulnerabilities or disadvantage
  • the Commission decides it involves an important or complex questions of law.

This assistance is not subject to a means test, although it is subject to a merits test. Read more about the Guidelines.

Back to top

The Legal Aid Commission may make a Grant of Legal Assistance to an applicant for assistance who is a war veteran or a dependant of a war veteran in relation to appeals to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) from certain decisions of the Veterans’ Review Board if any of the below apply to the case:

  • the veteran may incriminate themselves
  • complexity
  • requires significant medical evidence
  • the veteran is unable to represent themselves due to a list of vulnerabilities or disadvantage
  • the Commission decides it involves an important or complex questions of law.

This assistance is not subject to a means test, although it is subject to a merits test. Read more about the Guidelines, p. 21.

Back to top

The Commission may make a Grant of Legal Assistance to an applicant for assistance who is a war veteran or a dependent of a war veteran in relation to appeals to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) from certain decisions of the Veterans’ Review Board, if any of the below apply to the case:

  • the veteran may incriminate themselves
  • complexity
  • requires significant medical evidence
  • the veteran is unable to represent themselves due to a list of vulnerabilities or disadvantage
  • the Commission decides it involves an important or complex questions of law.

This assistance is not subject to a means test, although it is subject to a merits test. Read more about the Guideline, p. 41.

Back to top
Was this page useful?
Please tell us why you selected 'Yes'?
Please tell us why you selected 'No'?