| Agency Name: | Department of Veterans' Affairs |
| Type: | department |
| Preceding1: | Department of Repatriation (1975–1976) |
| Jurisdiction: | Australian Government |
| Employees: | 1,851 (at June 2022) |
| Minister1 Name: | Matt Keogh |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Minister for Veterans' Affairs |
| Chief1 Name: | Alison Frame |
| Chief1 Position: | Secretary |
| Child1 Agency: | Australian War Memorial |
| Child2 Agency: | Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission |
| Child3 Agency: | Office of Australian War Graves |
| Child4 Agency: | Repatriation Commission |
| Child5 Agency: | Repatriation Medical Authority |
| Child6 Agency: | Specialist Medical Review Council |
| Child7 Agency: | Veterans’ Children Education Boards |
| Child8 Agency: | Veterans' Review Board |
The Department of Veterans' Affairs is a department of the Government of Australia, established in 1976, and charged with the responsibility of delivering government programs for war veterans, members of the Australian Defence Force, members of the Australian Federal Police, and their dependants.
The current Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs is Alison Frame, who succeeded Elizabeth Cosson as secretary on 23 January 2023.[1]
For administration purposes, the department forms part of the Defence portfolio.[2] The Minister for Defence acts on behalf of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs within the Cabinet.
The head of the department is the Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, currently Alison Frame, who is responsible to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Minister for Defence Personnel, and the Assistant Minister for Veterans' Affairs. The Secretary of the Department also has the responsibility of the Repatriation Commission and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission.
The purpose of the department is to support the wellbeing of those who serve or have served in the defence of Australia, and their families.[3]
The department deals with the following matters:
In carrying out its functions, the department administers the following agencies:
The Department of Veterans' Affairs is responsible for administration of several key Acts:[4]
The Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs is Alison Frame, since 23 January 2023. In addition to her role of departmental secretary, she is also the President of the Repatriation Commission and Chair of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission.[5]
Below is a full list of the Department's Secretaries since it was established.
| width=30 | Order | width=200 | Official | width=280 | Official title | width=130 | Date appointment commenced | width=130 | Date appointment ceased | width=100 | Term in office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir | Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs | align=center | 1981 | years | |||||||
| 2 | 1981 | years | ||||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | 1994 | 1996 | years | |||||||||
| 6 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | 2008 | years | ||||||||||
| 8 | ||||||||||||
| 9 | July 2013 | 18 May 2018 | ||||||||||
| 10 | ||||||||||||
| 11 | incumbent |
Other key officeholders in the department are the Deputy President of the Repatriation Commission, currently Kate Pope PSM; the Repatriation Commissioner, currently Don Spinks AM; and the Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner, currently Gwen Cherne[6]