Defence & veteransDepartment of StateExists today
Department of Veterans' Affairs
DVA
5 October 1976 – present
Previously Department of Repatriation (1975–1976).
Department of State that supports the Repatriation Commission (and, from 2004 to 2026, the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission) in providing pensions, compensation, health care, rehabilitation and commemoration for veterans, current and former Australian Defence Force members and their families.
Names over time
- Department of Repatriation and Compensation1974–1975
- Department of Repatriation1975–1976
- Department of Veterans' Affairs1976–present
How it came into existence
Created on 5 October 1976 when the Fraser government renamed the Department of Repatriation; it continued that department's repatriation functions and staff.
- Repatriation pensions and benefits
- Medical treatment and repatriation hospitals
- Support for the Repatriation Commission
Changes during its life
- 22 May 1986The Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 replaced the Repatriation Act 1920 as the main legislation the department administers.
- 1 July 2004The Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 commenced, creating the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission, which the department supported alongside the Repatriation Commission.
- 1 July 2026The Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2025 took effect, bringing veterans' compensation under a single improved Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act scheme administered by the Repatriation Commission.
- Defence Service Homes insurance
- Administration of defence service homes loans and Westpac loan subsidies
Main functions
- Disability, war widows' and service pensions
- Rehabilitation and compensation for current and former ADF members
- Health care and treatment for veterans (Gold and White Card arrangements)
- Commemoration and war graves (Office of Australian War Graves)
- Support for the Repatriation Commission and other veterans' bodies
- Veterans' home care and community support
Where it sits
- Type of body
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Veterans' Affairs
- Accountable authority
- Secretary of the Department – Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 section 12(2) item 1
- ABN
- 23 964 290 824
Bodies in this portfolio (11)
- Repatriation Commission 1918–present
- Australian War Memorial 1925–present
- Assessment Appeal Tribunals 1929–1979
- War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal 1929–1979
- Office of Australian War Graves 1975–present
- Defence Service Homes Corporation 1976–1988
- Repatriation Review Tribunal 1979–1985
- Veterans' Review Board 1985–present
- Repatriation Medical Authority 1994–present
- Specialist Medical Review Council 1994–present
- Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission 2004–2026
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 11 March 1983 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 13 May 2025, as amended to 1 July 2025 (sets it out)
40 more Administrative Arrangements Orders set it out
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 11 March 1983, as amended to 30 January 1987 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 11 March 1996 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 26 November 2001 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 18 December 2003 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 26 October 2004 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 16 December 2004 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 21 September 2006 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 21 September 2006, as amended to 30 January 2007 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 December 2007 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 25 January 2008 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 September 2010 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 October 2010 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 December 2011 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 9 February 2012 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 16 May 2013 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 18 September 2013 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 12 December 2013 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 23 December 2014 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 9 July 2015 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015, as amended to 18 February 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015, as amended to 19 July 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016, as amended to 27 October 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016, as amended to 13 April 2017 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 April 2018 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 April 2018, as amended to 28 August 2018 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 4 April 2019 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 29 May 2019 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 29 May 2019, as amended to 1 September 2019 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 5 December 2019 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 5 December 2019, as amended to 2 April 2020 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 18 March 2021 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 June 2022 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 23 June 2022 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 13 October 2022 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 13 October 2022, as amended to 8 June 2023 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 13 October 2022, as amended to 3 August 2023 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 13 October 2022, as amended to 29 July 2024 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 13 May 2025 (sets it out)
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))