Definitions
5 Definitions
In this Act:
actual earnings:
in Part 3 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by subsection 89(3); and
in Part 4 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by subsection 132(1).
aggravated injury or disease means an injury or disease that is a service injury or disease because of paragraph 27(d), subsection 29(2) or section 30 (aggravations etc.) (and only because of that paragraph, subsection or section).
allowance period has the meaning given by subsection 230A(2).
alternative dispute resolution processes means procedures and services for the resolution of disputes, and includes the following:
conferencing;
mediation;
neutral evaluation;
case appraisal;
conciliation;
procedures or services prescribed in an instrument under subsection (1A);
but does not include the following:
arbitration;
court procedures or services.
Paragraphs (b) to (f) of this definition do not limit paragraph (a) of this definition.
appointed Commissioner means a Commissioner other than the President.
approved program provider has the meaning given by section 41.
approved rehabilitation program has the meaning given by section 41.
attendant care services has the meaning given by section 213.
Australian contingent, in relation to a Peacekeeping Force, means a contingent of that Force that has been authorised or approved by the Australian Government.
Australian Defence Force has the same meaning as in the Defence Act 1903.
Australian Defence Force Cadets has the meaning given by the Defence Act 1903.
Australian member, in relation to a Peacekeeping Force, means a member of that Force whose membership has been authorised or approved by the Australian Government.
authorised travel, in relation to a member of a Peacekeeping Force, means travel authorised by the appropriate authority, being an authority approved by the Minister for the purpose.
Authority means the Repatriation Medical Authority continued in existence by section 370B.
Authority member means a member of the Authority, appointed under section 370DA, and includes the Chair of the Authority.
Board means the Veterans’ Review Board continued in existence by section 359B.
Board member means the Principal Member, a Senior Member or another member of the Board.
British nuclear test defence service has the meaning given by section 6B.
cadet means a member of the Australian Defence Force cadets.
child: without limiting who is a child of a person for the purposes of this Act, someone is the child of a person if he or she is a child of the person within the meaning of the Family Law Act 1975.
civilian work means work other than as a member of the Defence Force.
claimant means a person who has made a claim under section 319.
clean energy bonus under an Act or scheme means any of the following that is provided for by the Act or scheme:
a payment known as an energy supplement or a quarterly energy supplement;
an increase that is described using the phrase “energy supplement” and affects the rate of another payment that is provided for by the Act or scheme.
clean energy payment means energy supplement.
clean energy underlying payment means:
compensation under Part 2 of Chapter 4 (whether weekly compensation or a lump sum); or
Special Rate Disability Pension; or
Additional Disablement Amount under Division 3A of Part 7 of Chapter 4; or
compensation under Division 2 of Part 2 of Chapter 5 (whether weekly compensation or a lump sum).
Comcare means the body corporate established by section 68 of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988.
Commission means the Repatriation Commission continued in existence by section 360B.
Commissioner means an appointed Commissioner or the President.
Commonwealth superannuation scheme means:
for the purposes of the following provisions:
sections 89A and 89B;
Division 7 of Part 3 of Chapter 4;
sections 416 to 418 (to the extent to which they relate to compensation under Part 3 of Chapter 4);
any superannuation scheme under which or to which, or retirement savings account to which, the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth authority makes contributions on behalf of employees (other than members of the Defence Force) and includes a superannuation scheme established or maintained by the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth authority and the Australian Defence Force Cover Act 2015; or
if a person’s normal earnings are worked out (or would be worked out if the person had not chosen a Special Rate Disability Pension) under:
Subdivision D of Division 4 of Part 4 of Chapter 4; or
Division 5 of Part 4 of Chapter 4; or
sections 126 and 126A;
Subdivision D of Division 8 of Part 4 of Chapter 4;
any superannuation scheme under which or to which, or retirement savings account to which, the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth authority makes contributions on behalf of employees (other than members of the Defence Force) and includes a superannuation scheme established or maintained by the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth authority and the Australian Defence Force Cover Act 2015; or
otherwise—any superannuation scheme under which the Commonwealth makes contributions on behalf of members of the Defence Force or the Australian Defence Force Cover Act 2015.
Section 14 affects the operation of paragraph (a) of this definition.
compensable treatment has the meaning given by section 289.
compensation means compensation under this Act, including the following:
alterations provided, or aids and appliances provided or repaired, under section 56;
a Special Rate Disability Pension under Part 6 of Chapter 4;
Additional Disablement Amount under Division 3A of Part 7 of Chapter 4;
MRCA supplement under section 221, 245 or 300;
education or training provided under the education scheme mentioned in Division 6 of Part 3 of Chapter 5;
prisoner of war recognition supplement under Part 3 of Chapter 5AA;
treatment provided under Chapter 6;
clean energy payments.
Conference Registrar means a Conference Registrar of the Board.
continuous full‑time Reservist means a member of the Reserves on continuous full‑time service.
continuous full‑time service (CFTS) means defence service of a continuous nature that is rendered by a member of the Reserves.
Councillor means a Councillor of the Review Council appointed under section 380DA, and includes the Convener of the Review Council.
date of commencement means 1 July 2026.
date of the member’s death for a deceased member means the date determined under section 343 for the member.
deceased member means a person:
who has died; and
who was a member or former member before his or her death.
declared member means a person to whom a determination under section 8 applies.
de facto relationship: see section 19A.
Defence Department means the Department of State that deals with defence and that is administered by the Defence Minister.
Defence Force means:
the Permanent Forces; and
the Reserves.
Defence Minister means the Minister administering section 1 of the Defence Act 1903.
defence service has the meaning given by subsection 6(1A).
dental practitioner means a person registered or licensed as a dental practitioner or dentist under a law of a State or Territory that provides for the registration or licensing of dental practitioners or dentists.
dependant has the meaning given by section 15.
dependent means dependent for economic support.
Deputy Registrar means a Deputy Registrar of the Board.
disease means:
any physical or mental ailment, disorder, defect or morbid condition (whether of sudden onset or gradual development); or
the recurrence of such an ailment, disorder, defect or morbid condition;
but does not include:
the aggravation of such an ailment, disorder, defect or morbid condition; or
a temporary departure from:
the normal physiological state; or
the accepted ranges of physiological or biochemical measures;
that results from normal physiological stress (for example, the effect of exercise on blood pressure) or the temporary effect of extraneous agents (for example, alcohol on blood cholesterol levels).
domicile has a meaning affected by section 19B.
DRCA means the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence‑related Claims) Act 1988.
duty, for a cadet or a declared member, has the meaning given by section 9.
Duty has its ordinary meaning for other kinds of members.
eligible young person means:
a person under 16; or
a person who:
is 16 or more but under 25; and
is receiving full‑time education at a school, college, university or other educational institution; and
is not in full‑time employment or engaged in work full‑time on his or her own account.
energy supplement means energy supplement payable under section 83A, 209A, 220D or 238A.
expense allowance means an allowance paid in respect of any expense incurred, or likely to be incurred, by a person in respect of the person’s work.
former member means a person who has ceased to be a member.
A cadet or a part‑time Reservist who is unlikely to be able to perform his or her duties in the future as a result of an incapacity might be taken to be a former member (see section 10).
full‑time service means defence service as:
a Permanent Forces member; or
a continuous full‑time Reservist.
guidance and appeals panel has the same meaning as in the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024.
guidance and appeals panel application has the same meaning as in the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024.
hazardous service has the meaning given by section 6C.
hospital or other institution includes the following:
a home;
a hostel;
a medical centre;
an out‑patient clinic;
a rehabilitation or training establishment.
household services has the meaning given by section 213.
impairment, in relation to a person, means the loss, the loss of the use, or the damage or malfunction, of any part of the person’s body, of any bodily system or function, or of any part of such a system or function.
impairment points of a person means the points worked out for the person using the guide determined under section 67.
incapacitated person:
in Division 5 of Part 4 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by section 152; and
in Division 6 of Part 4 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by section 160; and
in Division 7 of Part 4 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by section 163; and
in Division 8 of Part 4 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by section 166.
incapacitated Reservist:
in Division 3 of Part 3 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by section 94; and
in Division 4 of Part 3 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by section 103; and
in Division 5 of Part 3 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by section 107.
incapacity for service, in relation to a person who has sustained an injury or contracted a disease, means an incapacity of the person to engage in the defence service that he or she was engaged in before the onset of the incapacity, at the same level at which he or she was previously engaged.
For example, a person might be unable to engage in defence service at the same level at which he or she was engaged before the incapacity because the person is unable to perform all of his or her previous duties or is unable to work his or her normal weekly hours.
incapacity for service or work means incapacity for service or incapacity for work.
incapacity for work, in relation to a person who has sustained an injury or contracted a disease, means:
an incapacity of the person to engage in the work that he or she was engaged in before the onset of the incapacity, at the same level at which he or she was previously engaged; or
if the person was not previously engaged in work, an incapacity of the person to engage in any work that it is reasonably likely that he or she would otherwise be engaged in.
For example, a person might be unable to engage in work at the same level at which he or she was engaged before the incapacity because the person is unable to perform all of his or her previous duties or is unable to work his or her normal weekly hours.
indexation year means the financial year commencing on 1 July 2003, and each subsequent financial year.
initial training for a person means:
for an officer (other than a non‑commissioned officer)—training undertaken to become a commissioned officer; and
otherwise—recruit training and initial employment training undertaken to allocate the person to a category of defence work.
injury means any physical or mental injury (including the recurrence of a physical or mental injury) but does not include:
a disease; or
the aggravation of a physical or mental injury.
legal personal representative means:
the executor of the will, or the administrator of the estate, of a deceased person; or
the trustee of the estate of a person under a legal disability; or
a person who holds an enduring power of attorney granted by another person; or
a person who, by order of a court or otherwise, has the legal administration or control of the affairs of another person.
medical aid of a person means an artificial limb or other artificial substitute, or a medical, surgical or other similar aid or appliance, that is used by the person.
medical practitioner means a person registered or licensed as a medical practitioner under a law of a State or Territory that provides for the registration or licensing of medical practitioners.
member means:
a member of the Defence Force; or
a cadet; or
a person to whom section 7A applies; or
a declared member; or
a member of a Peacekeeping Force.
member of a Peacekeeping Force means a person who is serving, or has served, with a Peacekeeping Force outside Australia as an Australian member, or as a member of the Australian contingent, of that Peacekeeping Force.
National Registrar means the National Registrar of the Board.
non‑warlike service has the meaning given by paragraph 6(1)(b).
normal earnings:
in Part 3 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by subsection 89(3);
in Part 4 of Chapter 4—has the meaning given by subsection 132(2).
normal weekly hours has the meaning given by subsection 132(2).
onset date, for a person’s incapacity for service or work, means the date determined under section 342 for the person.
operational service has the meaning given by sections 444 to 450.
overtime includes:
time spent performing duties on shifts or on Saturdays, Sundays or other holidays; and
excess travelling time;
that does not count towards the average number of hours worked.
paid work means work for financial gain or reward (whether as an employee, a self‑employed person or otherwise).
parent: without limiting who is a parent of a person for the purposes of this Act, someone is the parent of a person if the person is his or her child because of the definition of child in this subsection.
partner of a member means a person in respect of whom at least one of the following applies:
if the member is a member of the Aboriginal race of Australia or a descendant of Indigenous inhabitants of the Torres Strait Islands—the person is recognised as the member’s husband, wife or spouse by the custom prevailing in the tribe or group to which the member belongs;
the person is legally married to the member;
a relationship between the person and the member (whether the person and the member are the same sex or different sexes) is registered under a law of a State or Territory prescribed for the purposes of section 2E of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 as a kind of relationship prescribed for the purposes of that section;
the person (whether of the same sex or a different sex to the member):
is, in the Commission’s opinion (see section 19A), in a de facto relationship with the member; and
is not an ancestor, descendant, brother, sister, half‑brother or half‑sister of the member (see subsection (3)).
This section also applies to former members (see section 20).
part‑time Reservist means a member of the Reserves who is not on continuous full‑time service.
pay‑related allowance means an allowance specified in a determination under section 11.
Peacekeeping Force has the meaning given by subsection 6A(3).
peacekeeping service has the meaning given by subsection 6A(1).
peacetime service has the meaning given by paragraph 6(1)(c).
pension age has the meaning given by subsection 23(5A), (5B), (5C) or (5D) of the Social Security Act 1991.
Permanent Forces has the same meaning as in the Defence Act 1903.
Permanent Forces member means a member of the Permanent Forces.
personal information has the same meaning as in the Privacy Act 1988.
pharmaceutical benefits means drugs, medicinal preparations and other pharmaceutical items (including aids to treatment and dressings) for the treatment of sicknesses or injuries suffered by human beings.
pharmaceutical benefits determination: see subsection 286(3).
practising lawyer means a person who is admitted to the legal profession by a federal court or a Supreme Court of a State or Territory and who holds a practising certificate (however described) entitling the person to practise that profession.
practitioner means a person:
who is a medical practitioner; or
who is a dental practitioner.
President means the President of the Commission.
presiding Councillor: see subsection 380DK(3).
Principal Member means the Principal Member of the Board.
registered charity means an entity that is registered under the Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission Act 2012 as the type of entity mentioned in column 1 of item 1 of the table in subsection 25‑5(5) of that Act.
Registrar means a Registrar of the Board.
rehabilitation authority has the meaning given by section 39.
rehabilitation program has the meaning given by section 41.
related person of a member has the meaning given by subsection 15(2).
related to service: see section 370C.
relevant ADF person has the same meaning as in the Defence Act 1903.
Reserves has the same meaning as in the Defence Act 1903.
retirement savings account means a retirement savings account within the meaning of the Retirement Savings Accounts Act 1997.
Review Council means the Specialist Medical Review Council continued in existence by section 380B.
Secretary means Secretary of the Department.
Senior Member means a Senior Member of the Board.
sensitive information has the same meaning as in the Privacy Act 1988.
service death has the meaning given by section 28 and subsection 29(3).
service disease has the meaning given by section 27, subsections 29(1) and (2) and section 30.
A reference to a service disease being contracted includes a reference to a disease being aggravated by defence service (see section 7).
service injury has the meaning given by section 27, subsections 29(1) and (2) and section 30.
A reference to a service injury being sustained includes a reference to an injury being aggravated by defence service (see section 7).
service injury, disease or death means a service injury, a service disease or a service death.
service injury or disease means a service injury or a service disease.
Services member means a Board member who, when appointed or re‑appointed as a Board member, was a person selected from lists submitted in accordance with a request made under subsection 359C(3).
sound medical‑scientific evidence: see section 370CA.
Special Rate Disability Pension has the meaning given by section 198.
SRC Minister means the Minister administering Division 3 of Part VII of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988.
Statement of Principles means a Statement of Principles determined under:
section 370CB (Statement of Principles—reasonable hypothesis); or
section 370CC (Statement of Principles—balance of probabilities); or
subsection 370CN(1) (Statement of Principles where directed by the Review Council—reasonable hypothesis); or
subsection 370CN(3) (Statement of Principles where directed by the Review Council—balance of probabilities).
stepchild: without limiting who is a stepchild of a person for the purposes of this Act, someone who is a child of a partner of the person is the stepchild of the person, if he or she would be the person’s stepchild except that the person is not legally married to the partner.
step‑parent: without limiting who is a step‑parent of a person for the purposes of this Act, someone who is a partner of a parent of the person is the step‑parent of the person, if he or she would be the person’s step‑parent except that he or she is not legally married to the person’s parent.
suitable work for a person means work for which the person is suited having regard to the following:
the person’s age, experience, training, language and other skills;
the person’s suitability for rehabilitation or vocational retraining;
if work is available in a place that would require the person to change his or her place of residence—whether it is reasonable to expect the person to change his or her place of residence;
any other relevant matter.
treatment has the meaning given by section 13.
treatment determination: see subsection 286(4).
Tribunal means the Administrative Review Tribunal.
trust funds, in respect of a trustee of payments of compensation or other benefits, means the following:
the amounts of compensation or other benefits received by the trustee;
interest on those amounts;
investments of the compensation, benefits or interest;
returns received on those investments.
use, in relation to information, includes make a record of.
VEA means the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986.
VEA eligible child has the meaning given by subsection 257A(1).
VEA eligible grandchild has the meaning given by subsection 257A(1).
Veterans’ Affairs Department means the Department administered by the Veterans’ Affairs Minister.
vocational assessment and rehabilitation has the meaning given by section 41.
warlike service has the meaning given by paragraph 6(1)(a).
wholly dependent partner of a deceased member means a person:
who was the partner of the member immediately before his or her death; and
who was wholly dependent on the member at that time.
A partner who was living with a deceased member immediately before the member’s death is taken to have been wholly dependent on the partner (see section 17).
work means work for financial gain or reward (whether as an employee, a self‑employed person or otherwise).
The Minister may, by legislative instrument, prescribe procedures or services for the purposes of paragraph (f) of the definition of alternative dispute resolution processes in subsection (1).
For the purposes of subparagraph (c)(ii) of the definition of partner in subsection (1), a child who is, or has ever been, an adopted child of a person is taken to be the natural child of that person and the person is taken to be the natural parent of the child.
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