



Senator Mark Bishop  Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs  Senator for Western Australia

MEDIA RELEASE



19 June 2003                                                                                                           Ref:va.m&pr/22-03



Inquiry into Defence and Veterans’ Health Management

The Senate today resolved in favour of a motion by the Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs,  Senator Mark Bishop, that an inquiry be conducted into the adequacy of current arrangements in the  Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, for the protection of health of  members of the ADF deployed overseas, in advance, on return, and after discharge from the forces.

It has long been an unsatisfactory feature of military service and compensation for war-caused  injury and illness, for both veterans and regular serving personnel, that following deployments, and  often long after discharge, serious health problems arise from exposure to hazards during service.

Some of the more no torious cases have been exposure to radiation in Japan after WWII and during  the atomic tests program, hazardous chemicals such as Agent Orange, and more recently the Gulf  War Syndrome.

Of equal importance is the very high risk of psychological damage that is so predominant in  compensation claims at a level never before experienced.

The recent deployment to Iraq has prompted similar concerns, based on the experience of the 1991  Gulf War, where concern has been expressed about risks of exposure to toxic gases, depleted  uranium, oil fire smoke, and a range of preventive vaccinations.

Questions remain in the minds of ADF personnel as to the adequacy of the system in place to  safeguard their health and safety.

Previous inquiries, including royal commissions, have done little to alleviate concerns, and the  progression of mortality and health studies is painfully slow.

In the meantime, ill veterans will continue to attribute their illness to their service, without any  satisfaction and, in their view, inadequate compensation and treatment. To the extent that this is a  systemic problem, it needs to be urgently addressed.

They might be equally concerned at the adequacy of records on which future compensation claims  might be based.

Some assurance by the agencies concerned should be forthcoming. This should better inform  serving personnel, veterans and their families, but also the Parliament as well.

A copy of the Terms of Reference to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References  Committee is attached.



Media Details:  Senator Mark Bishop 0419 959 892 or Peter Reece 0414 677 441  Parliament House (02) 6277 3101







TERMS OF REFERENCE as agreed by the Senate 19 June 2003:

(1) That the following matters be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade  Refe rences Committee for inquiry and report:   (a) the adequacy of current arrangements within the Department of Defence for the  health preparation for the deployment of the Australian Defence Forces (ADF)

overseas;

(b) the adequacy of record keeping of individual health and treatment episodes of  those deployed, and access to those records by the individual;   (c) the adequacy of information provided to individual ADF members,  pre-deployment, of the likely health risks and anticipated remedial activity

required;

(d) the adequacy of current arrangements for the administration of preventive  vaccinations, standards applied to drug selection, quality control, record keeping  and the regard given to accepted international and national regulation and  practice;

(e) the engagement in this process of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the  Repatriation Medical Authority for the purposes of administering and assessing  compensation claims; and  (f)  the adequacy of the current research effort focusing on outstanding issues of

contention from the ex-service community with respect to health outcomes from  past deployments, and the means by which it might be improved.

(2) That, in undertaking the inquiry, the committee consider recommendations for an  improved system within the Defence and Veterans’ administrations which will  give greater assurance to the individual that their health risks are minimised, and  fully recorded for the purposes of future compensation where justified.

