{
  "entity_id": "B-003154",
  "folder": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
  "name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
  "type": "Statutory Body",
  "jurisdiction": "Commonwealth",
  "portfolio": "Veterans' Affairs (part of the Defence Portfolio)",
  "website": "http://www.rma.gov.au",
  "data_status": "rich",
  "completeness": {
    "has_strategy_brief": true,
    "has_strategy_structured": true,
    "has_vision": false,
    "has_kpi_targets": true,
    "has_kpi_results": true,
    "has_strategy_overview": true,
    "has_legislation_text": true,
    "has_legislation_structured": false,
    "has_global_initiatives_text": false,
    "has_ideas": true,
    "has_artifacts": true,
    "n_ideas": 12,
    "n_legislation": 0,
    "n_artifacts": 10,
    "n_kpi_targets": 2,
    "n_kpi_results": 2,
    "n_outcomes": 1,
    "verified_own_data": true
  },
  "strategy_profile": {
    "status": "published",
    "confidence": "high",
    "summary": "The major function of the Authority is to determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence' for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters; the'reasonable hypothesis' standard and the 'balance of probabilities' standard. [AR p.8]",
    "official_site_url": "http://www.rma.gov.au",
    "source_documents": [
      {
        "type": "annual_report",
        "title": "Thirty-first Annual Report 2024/2025",
        "url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf",
        "period": "2024-25",
        "confidence": "high"
      },
      {
        "type": "annual_report",
        "title": "Thirtieth Annual Report 2023/2024",
        "url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5384.Annual-Report-2023-24-R5.ACCESS.pdf",
        "period": "2023-24",
        "confidence": "high"
      },
      {
        "type": "annual_report",
        "title": "Twenty-ninth Annual Report 2022/2023",
        "url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/Twenty-ninth-Annual-Report-2022-2023.pdf",
        "period": "2022-23",
        "confidence": "high"
      },
      {
        "type": "annual_report",
        "title": "Twenty-eighth Annual Report 2021/2022",
        "url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf",
        "period": "2021-22",
        "confidence": "high"
      },
      {
        "type": "annual_report",
        "title": "Twenty-seventh Annual Report 2020/2021",
        "url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf",
        "period": "2020-21",
        "confidence": "high"
      }
    ],
    "purpose": {
      "text": "The major function of the Authority is to determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence' for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters; the'reasonable hypothesis' standard and the 'balance of probabilities' standard. [AR p.8]",
      "source_url": "",
      "source_page": 8,
      "source_deep_url": ""
    },
    "vision": null,
    "strategic_priorities": [
      {
        "title": "To determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound",
        "description": "To determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence'.",
        "source_url": "",
        "source_page": 8,
        "source_deep_url": ""
      }
    ],
    "values": [
      {
        "name": "sound medical scientific evidence",
        "description": "",
        "source_url": "",
        "source_page": null
      },
      {
        "name": "standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters",
        "description": "",
        "source_url": "",
        "source_page": null
      }
    ],
    "outcomes": [
      {
        "name": "Outcome 1: Determination of Statements of Principles",
        "description": "The Authority determines SOPs in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence' for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters.",
        "activities": [
          "Conducting investigations",
          "Determining new SOPs",
          "Amending existing SOPs"
        ],
        "source_url": "",
        "source_page": 8,
        "source_deep_url": ""
      }
    ],
    "performance_measures": [
      {
        "code": "SOP01",
        "measure": "Number of SOPs determined",
        "target": "95",
        "latest_result": "95",
        "status": "Achieved",
        "target_source_url": "",
        "target_source_page": 14,
        "result_source_url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf",
        "result_source_page": 14
      },
      {
        "code": "SOP02",
        "measure": "Average time taken to complete investigations",
        "target": "411 days",
        "latest_result": "411 days",
        "status": "Achieved",
        "target_source_url": "",
        "target_source_page": 15,
        "result_source_url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf",
        "result_source_page": 15
      }
    ],
    "document_alignment_terms": {
      "must_support": [
        "The major function of the Authority is to determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific e",
        "To determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence'."
      ],
      "watch_terms": [
        "Number of SOPs determined",
        "Average time taken to complete investigations"
      ],
      "avoid_claiming_without_evidence": []
    },
    "review_note": ""
  },
  "strategy_brief_md": "# Repatriation Medical Authority — Strategy Brief\n\n**Reporting period**: 2024-25\n**Corporate plan in force**: 2025-26\n**Annual Report**: [2024-25](http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf)\n\n## Our purpose / purposes\n\n> The major function of the Authority is to determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence' for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters; the'reasonable hypothesis' standard and the 'balance of probabilities' standard. [AR p.8](http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf#page=8) [CP p.8]\n\n## How we deliver\n\n> The Authority conducts investigations either on its own initiative or when it receives a request under s 196E of the VEA in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death. Investigations may lead to the determination of a new SOP, an amendment of an existing SOP, or a decision not to determine or amend a SOP, depending upon whether the Authority is of the view that there is sufficient sound medical scientific evidence on which it can rely to determine a new, or amend an existing, SOP. [AR p.8](http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf#page=8) [CP p.8]\n\n## Government priorities for this department\n\n- To determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence'. [CP p.8]\n\n## Outcomes\n\n### Outcome 1: Determination of Statements of Principles\nThe Authority determines SOPs in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence' for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters. [CP p.8]\n\n**Key activities:**\n- Conducting investigations\n- Determining new SOPs\n- Amending existing SOPs\n\n## Values and principles\n\n- sound medical scientific evidence\n- standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters\n\n## What they will measure themselves on this year (targets from 2025-26 corporate plan)\n\n| Code | Measure | Target | Source |\n|---|---|---|---|\n| SOP01 | Number of SOPs determined | 95 | CP p.14 |\n| SOP02 | Average time taken to complete investigations | 411 days | CP p.15 |\n\n## How they performed last year (results from 2024-25 annual report)\n\n| Code | Measure | Result | Status | Source |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| SOP01 | Number of SOPs determined | 95 | Achieved | [AR p.14](http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf#page=14)(http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf#page=14) |\n| SOP02 | Average time taken to complete investigations | 411 days | Achieved | [AR p.15](http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf#page=15)(http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf#page=15) |",
  "strategy_overview_evidence_md": null,
  "internal_strategy_evidence_md": "# Repatriation Medical Authority - Strategy, Performance, and Operating Profile\n\n**Generated at**: 2026-05-09T22:34:52.634799+00:00\n**Entity ID**: B-003154\n**Entity type**: Statutory Body\n**Jurisdiction**: Commonwealth\n**Portfolio**: Veterans' Affairs (part of the Defence Portfolio)\n**Website**: http://www.rma.gov.au\n\n> Draft generated from scraped source material. Treat this as an evidence pack for editorial review, not a final judgement.\n\n## Source Coverage\n\n| Source type | Count |\n|---|---:|\n| annual-reports | 5 |\n| other-pdfs | 5 |\n| pages | 7 |\n\n## Executive Readout\n\n### Purpose\n\n- 196W Functions of Review Council\n(1) This section sets out the functions of the Review Council.\n(2) If the Council is asked under section 196Y to review:\n(a) some or all of the contents of a Statement of Principles in respect of a particular\nkind of injury, disease or death; or\n(b) a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to determine a Statement of\nPrinciples under subsection 196B(2), or a Statement of Principles under\nsubsection 196B(3), in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death; or\n(ba) a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to amend a Statement of\nPrinciples in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death;\nsubject to subsection (3), the Council must, for that purpose, carry out a review of all\nthe information that was available to the Authority when it:\n(c) determined, amended, or last amended, the Statement of Principles; or\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 18,19,20]\n] at least 5 years [BOP 10 years] before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of the\norgan/site;\nNote: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\ncumulative equivalent dose means the total dose of ionising radiation received by the particular organ or\ntissue from external exposure, internal exposure or both, apart from normal background radiation exposure in\nAustralia, calculated in accordance with the methodology set out in Guide to calculation of 'cumulative\nequivalent dose' for the purpose of applying ionising radiation factors contained in Statements of Principles\ndetermined under Part XIA of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), Australian Radiation Protection and\nNuclear Safety Agency, as in force on 2 August 2017.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023-.pdf)`\n- There is no mechanical process where any\ninterpretation consistent with this purpose is adopted.33\n30 Bull v Attorney-General (NSW) (1913) 17 CLR 370.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [Page 4]\nContents\nEXECUTIVE STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON 5\nWorkloads 5\nPrincipal Medical Researcher 5\nCOVID-19 6\nMeetings 6\nAppointments 6\nBACKGROUND AND FUNCTION 7\nTHE AUTHORITY 10\nMembers 10\nMember remuneration 12\nMeetings 12\nRMA Secretariat 12\nWebsite 12\nFreedom of Information 13\nSTATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLES 14\nDeterminations 14\nInvestigations and reviews 14\nDistribution 21\nREVIEWS BY THE SPECIALIST MEDICAL REVIEW COUNCIL 22\nReviews 22\nDEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS 23\nEX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS 24\nFINANCIAL 25\nAPPENDICES 26\nAppendix 1: RMA Secretariat staffing structure 26\nAppendix 2: Statements of Principles determined 2020/21 27\nAppendix 3: Outstanding investigations and reviews as at 30/06/2019 31\nGlossary of terms 33\nTABLES\nTable 1: Requests under the FOI Act 13\nTable 2: Statements of Principles 14\nTable 3: Overview of investigations and reviews 15\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n\n### Role and Functions\n\n- 196W Functions of Review Council\n(1) This section sets out the functions of the Review Council.\n(2) If the Council is asked under section 196Y to review:\n(a) some or all of the contents of a Statement of Principles in respect of a particular\nkind of injury, disease or death; or\n(b) a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to determine a Statement of\nPrinciples under subsection 196B(2), or a Statement of Principles under\nsubsection 196B(3), in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death; or\n(ba) a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to amend a Statement of\nPrinciples in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death;\nsubject to subsection (3), the Council must, for that purpose, carry out a review of all\nthe information that was available to the Authority when it:\n(c) determined, amended, or last amended, the Statement of Principles; or\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [Page 4]\nContents\nEXECUTIVE STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON 5\nWorkloads 5\nPrincipal Medical Researcher 5\nCOVID-19 6\nMeetings 6\nAppointments 6\nBACKGROUND AND FUNCTION 7\nTHE AUTHORITY 10\nMembers 10\nMember remuneration 12\nMeetings 12\nRMA Secretariat 12\nWebsite 12\nFreedom of Information 13\nSTATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLES 14\nDeterminations 14\nInvestigations and reviews 14\nDistribution 21\nREVIEWS BY THE SPECIALIST MEDICAL REVIEW COUNCIL 22\nReviews 22\nDEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS 23\nEX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS 24\nFINANCIAL 25\nAPPENDICES 26\nAppendix 1: RMA Secretariat staffing structure 26\nAppendix 2: Statements of Principles determined 2020/21 27\nAppendix 3: Outstanding investigations and reviews as at 30/06/2019 31\nGlossary of terms 33\nTABLES\nTable 1: Requests under the FOI Act 13\nTable 2: Statements of Principles 14\nTable 3: Overview of investigations and reviews 15\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- [Page 4]\nContents\nEXECUTIVE STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON 5\nWorkloads 5\nRoyal Commission Into Defence and Veteran Suicide 5\nMeetings 6\nAppointments and Retirement 6\nBACKGROUND AND FUNCTION 7\nTHE AUTHORITY 10\nMembers 10\nMember remuneration 12\nMeetings 12\nRMA Secretariat 12\nWebsite 12\nFreedom of Information 13\nSTATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLES 14\nDeterminations 14\nInvestigations and reviews 14\nDistribution 20\nREVIEWS BY THE SPECIALIST MEDICAL REVIEW COUNCIL 21\nReviews 21\nDEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS 22\nEX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS 22\nFINANCIAL 23\nAPPENDICES 24\nAppendix 1: RMA Secretariat staffing structure 24\nAppendix 2: Statements of Principles determined 2021/22 25\nAppendix 3: Outstanding investigations and reviews as at 30/06/2022 28\nGlossary of terms 31\nTABLES\nTable 1: Requests under the FOI Act 13\nTable 2: Statements of Principles 14\nTable 3: Overview of investigations and reviews 15\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n- [Page 4]\nContents\nEXECUTIVE STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON 5\nWorkloads 5\nRoyal Commission Into Defence and Veteran Suicide -\nHarmonisation of Legislation and Reduction of the DVA claims backlog 5\nBurn Pits 5\nAgent Orange 6\nMeetings 6\nAppointments and Retirement 6\nBACKGROUND AND FUNCTION 7\nTHE AUTHORITY 10\nMembers 10\nMember remuneration 12\nMeetings 12\nRMA Secretariat 12\nWebsite 12\nFreedom of Information 13\nSTATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLES 14\nDeterminations 14\nInvestigations and reviews 14\nDistribution 20\nREVIEWS BY THE SPECIALIST MEDICAL REVIEW COUNCIL 21\nReviews 21\nDEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 22\nEX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS 22\nFINANCIAL 23\nAPPENDICES 24\nAppendix 1: RMA Secretariat staffing structure 24\nAppendix 2: Statements of Principles determined 2021/22 25\nAppendix 3: Outstanding investigations and reviews as at 30/06/2022 28\nGlossary of terms 31\nTABLES\nTable 1: Requests under the FOI Act 13\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/Twenty-ninth-Annual-Report-2022-2023.pdf)`\n- 5\nMeetings 6\nBACKGROUND AND FUNCTION 7\nTHE AUTHORITY 10\nMembers 10\nMember remuneration 12\nMeetings 12\nRMA Secretariat 12\nWebsite 12\nFreedom of Information 13\nSTATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLES 14\nDeterminations 14\nInvestigations and reviews 14\nDistribution 19\nREVIEWS BY THE SPECIALIST MEDICAL REVIEW COUNCIL 20\nReviews 20\nDEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 21\nEX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS, VETERANS AND MEMBERS 21\nFINANCIAL 22\nAPPENDICES 23\nAppendix 1: RMA Secretariat staffing structure 23\nAppendix 2: Statements of Principles determined 2022/23 24\nAppendix 3: Outstanding investigations and reviews as at 30/06/2023 27\nGlossary of terms 31\nTABLES\nTable 1: Requests under the FOI Act 13\nTable 2: Statements of Principles 14\nTable 3: Overview of investigations and reviews 15\nTable 4: Outcome of investigations and reviews 16\nTable 5: Financial expenditure 22\nTable 6: Outstanding reviews pursuant to s 196B(7) 27\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5384.Annual-Report-2023-24-R5.ACCESS.pdf)`\n- [Page 4]\nContents\nEXECUTIVE STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON 5\nWorkloads 5\nVeterans’ - Traumatic Brain injury 5\nMeetings 6\nBACKGROUND AND FUNCTION 7\nTHE AUTHORITY 10\nMembers 10\nMember remuneration 12\nMeetings 12\nRMA Secretariat 12\nWebsite 12\nFreedom of Information 13\nSTATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLES 14\nDeterminations 14\nInvestigations and reviews 14\nDistribution 19\nREVIEWS BY THE SPECIALIST MEDICAL REVIEW COUNCIL 20\nReviews 20\nDEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 20\nEX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS, VETERANS AND MEMBERS 21\nFINANCIAL 21\nNote: A number of the positions\nare staffed on ‘a part-time basis’.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2024-25.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf)`\n\n### Strategic Priorities\n\n- [pages 5,6,7]\ns of SOPs was reduced\nto an average of around 9.5 months in 2020-2021, reflecting the impact of the additional staff\nmember recruited in 2020\nPrincipal Medical Researcher\nThe year also saw the establishment of a Principal Medical Researcher (PMR) position in the Authority\nSecretariat.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- The result will be that a medical hypothesis linking\nparticular kinds of injury, disease or death with war service that does not have a\nsound medical-scientific basis will no longer be sufficient to constitute a\n3 http://www.dva.gov.au/consultation-and-grants/reviews/clarke-review#report\n4https://www.dva.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/consultation%20and%20grants/reviews/mrca/mrcareport/v\nol1-full18032011.pdf\n5 Clem LLoyd and Jacqui Rees, The last shilling : a history of Repatriation in Australia, Carlton : Melbourne\nUniversity Press, 1994; Creyke, RC & Sutherland, Veterans’ Entitlements Law, 3rd Edition, Federation Press,\nSydney, 2016.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- They were:\n• that the entire question of the re-establishment of discharged soldiers and the\ncare of the dependants of soldiers generally should be made the concern of a\nCommonwealth authority; and\n• that the Commonwealth authority should devise a substantially uniform system\nof dealing with returned soldiers and the dependants of soldiers on service or\nsoldiers who died as a result of service in respect of:\n1. immediate amelioration;\n2. care of the totally incapacitated;\n3. vocational training of the partially incapacitated;\n4. employment generally;\n5. assistance towards permanent re-establishment;\n6. care of dependants;\n7. coordination of governmental and private efforts for the expansion of\nexisting industries and promotion of new industries to meet the demand for\nemployment; and\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 1 23\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- 196W Functions of Review Council\n(1) This section sets out the functions of the Review Council.\n(2) If the Council is asked under section 196Y to review:\n(a) some or all of the contents of a Statement of Principles in respect of a particular\nkind of injury, disease or death; or\n(b) a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to determine a Statement of\nPrinciples under subsection 196B(2), or a Statement of Principles under\nsubsection 196B(3), in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death; or\n(ba) a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to amend a Statement of\nPrinciples in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death;\nsubject to subsection (3), the Council must, for that purpose, carry out a review of all\nthe information that was available to the Authority when it:\n(c) determined, amended, or last amended, the Statement of Principles; or\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- 1) Infectious disease SOPs and factors concerning infectious disease\n2) Standard radiation factors\n3) Genetic risk factors and genetic disorder SOPs\n4) Smoking factors in SOPs\n5) Obesity factors\n6) Immunosuppression factors\n7) Wording of transplantation factors and associated definitions in cancer SOPs\n8) Chronic kidney disease and chronic renal failure\n9) Dietary factors\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\n11) Drug factors and lists\n12) Periods of one month\n13) Generic exposure factors\n1) Infectious disease SOPs and factors concerning infectious disease\nInfectious disease SOPs\nA standard approach for infectious disease SOPs was agreed at the February 2020 RMA meeting as\nlisted below.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- For protective factors:\nan inability to consume an average of at least x grams per day of any combination of fruit and vegetables, for\nat least 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 113,114,115,116]\nuit and vegetables, for\nat least 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 18,19,20]\n] at least 5 years [BOP 10 years] before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of the\norgan/site;\nNote: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\ncumulative equivalent dose means the total dose of ionising radiation received by the particular organ or\ntissue from external exposure, internal exposure or both, apart from normal background radiation exposure in\nAustralia, calculated in accordance with the methodology set out in Guide to calculation of 'cumulative\nequivalent dose' for the purpose of applying ionising radiation factors contained in Statements of Principles\ndetermined under Part XIA of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), Australian Radiation Protection and\nNuclear Safety Agency, as in force on 2 August 2017.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023-.pdf)`\n- For protective factors:\ninability to consume an average of at least x grams per day of any combination of fruit and vegetables, for at\nleast 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023-.pdf)`\n- Recognising this risk, the\nAuthority has placed/will place a transition note in all SOPs undergoing investigation which have or\nwill have a category 2 stressor factor as follows:\n“experiencing a category 2 stressor within the 10 years before the suicide or the attempted\nsuicide;\nNote 1: A category 2 stressor can arise in a variety of circumstances connected with service.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n\n## KPIs, Targets, and Where They Are At\n\n- The result will be that a medical hypothesis linking\nparticular kinds of injury, disease or death with war service that does not have a\nsound medical-scientific basis will no longer be sufficient to constitute a\n3 http://www.dva.gov.au/consultation-and-grants/reviews/clarke-review#report\n4https://www.dva.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/consultation%20and%20grants/reviews/mrca/mrcareport/v\nol1-full18032011.pdf\n5 Clem LLoyd and Jacqui Rees, The last shilling : a history of Repatriation in Australia, Carlton : Melbourne\nUniversity Press, 1994; Creyke, RC & Sutherland, Veterans’ Entitlements Law, 3rd Edition, Federation Press,\nSydney, 2016.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- They were:\n• that the entire question of the re-establishment of discharged soldiers and the\ncare of the dependants of soldiers generally should be made the concern of a\nCommonwealth authority; and\n• that the Commonwealth authority should devise a substantially uniform system\nof dealing with returned soldiers and the dependants of soldiers on service or\nsoldiers who died as a result of service in respect of:\n1. immediate amelioration;\n2. care of the totally incapacitated;\n3. vocational training of the partially incapacitated;\n4. employment generally;\n5. assistance towards permanent re-establishment;\n6. care of dependants;\n7. coordination of governmental and private efforts for the expansion of\nexisting industries and promotion of new industries to meet the demand for\nemployment; and\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 1 23\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- Such circumstances\ncan arise during the course of service, as a result of separation from service and the conditions associated with that\nseparation, and in the transition to civilian life in the years following separation.”\nCurrently a transition note appears in category 2 stressor factors in the reasonable hypothesis (RH)\nand balance of probabilities (BOP) SOPs for suicide and attempted suicide, gender dysphoria, and\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022 5\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n- 2.48 A number of important changes were made as a result of the consultation process on the\nExposure Draft in June–September 2003:\n• withdrawal of the proposal to offset future payments of the Special Rate of pension under the\nVEA by the value of any Commonwealth superannuation received (this had been strongly\nopposed by ESOs);\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 2 40\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 5,6,7]\ns of SOPs was reduced\nto an average of around 9.5 months in 2020-2021, reflecting the impact of the additional staff\nmember recruited in 2020\nPrincipal Medical Researcher\nThe year also saw the establishment of a Principal Medical Researcher (PMR) position in the Authority\nSecretariat.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- 196W Functions of Review Council\n(1) This section sets out the functions of the Review Council.\n(2) If the Council is asked under section 196Y to review:\n(a) some or all of the contents of a Statement of Principles in respect of a particular\nkind of injury, disease or death; or\n(b) a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to determine a Statement of\nPrinciples under subsection 196B(2), or a Statement of Principles under\nsubsection 196B(3), in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death; or\n(ba) a decision of the Repatriation Medical Authority not to amend a Statement of\nPrinciples in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death;\nsubject to subsection (3), the Council must, for that purpose, carry out a review of all\nthe information that was available to the Authority when it:\n(c) determined, amended, or last amended, the Statement of Principles; or\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- 1) Infectious disease SOPs and factors concerning infectious disease\n2) Standard radiation factors\n3) Genetic risk factors and genetic disorder SOPs\n4) Smoking factors in SOPs\n5) Obesity factors\n6) Immunosuppression factors\n7) Wording of transplantation factors and associated definitions in cancer SOPs\n8) Chronic kidney disease and chronic renal failure\n9) Dietary factors\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\n11) Drug factors and lists\n12) Periods of one month\n13) Generic exposure factors\n1) Infectious disease SOPs and factors concerning infectious disease\nInfectious disease SOPs\nA standard approach for infectious disease SOPs was agreed at the February 2020 RMA meeting as\nlisted below.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- For protective factors:\nan inability to consume an average of at least x grams per day of any combination of fruit and vegetables, for\nat least 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 113,114,115,116]\nuit and vegetables, for\nat least 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 18,19,20]\n] at least 5 years [BOP 10 years] before the clinical onset of malignant neoplasm of the\norgan/site;\nNote: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\ncumulative equivalent dose means the total dose of ionising radiation received by the particular organ or\ntissue from external exposure, internal exposure or both, apart from normal background radiation exposure in\nAustralia, calculated in accordance with the methodology set out in Guide to calculation of 'cumulative\nequivalent dose' for the purpose of applying ionising radiation factors contained in Statements of Principles\ndetermined under Part XIA of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), Australian Radiation Protection and\nNuclear Safety Agency, as in force on 2 August 2017.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023-.pdf)`\n- For protective factors:\ninability to consume an average of at least x grams per day of any combination of fruit and vegetables, for at\nleast 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023-.pdf)`\n- Recognising this risk, the\nAuthority has placed/will place a transition note in all SOPs undergoing investigation which have or\nwill have a category 2 stressor factor as follows:\n“experiencing a category 2 stressor within the 10 years before the suicide or the attempted\nsuicide;\nNote 1: A category 2 stressor can arise in a variety of circumstances connected with service.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n- 3.17 Perhaps most significantly, the Repatriation Act 1920 introduced the concept\nof a 'special rate' pension for those totally and permanently incapacitated (TPI) or\nblinded as a result of war service.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- The result of this was the introduction of the\nextreme disablement adjustment (EDA), payable to extremely disabled veterans over\n65 at effectively 150 per cent of the general rate disability pension.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n\n## Key Metrics\n\n| Values found | Evidence | Source |\n|---|---|---|\n| $1 , $75 , $96 | Table 5: Financial expenditure\nItem 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19\nSalary and related expenses $1 911 256 $1 911 256 $1 849 166\nAdministrative expenses $75 311 $75 311 $96 689\nLegal expenses $1 056 $41 376 $87 158\nTotal expenditure $1 987 623 $2 027 943 $2 033 013\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2020/2021 25 | `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)` |\n| $2 , $1 , $31 , $30 , $75 | Table 5: Financial expenditure\nItem 2020/21 2020/21 2019/20\nSalary and related expenses $2 060 671 $2 111 256 $1 911 256\nAdministrative expenses $31 858 $30 848 $75 311\nLegal expenses $0 $1 056 $41 376\nTotal expenditure $2 092 529 $2 143 833 $2 027 943\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022 23 | `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)` |\n| $31 , $30 , $75 , $0 , $1 , $41 | [pages 24,25,26,27]\native expenses $31 858 $30 848 $75 311\nLegal expenses $0 $1 056 $41 376\nTotal expenditure $2 092 529 $2 143 833 $2 027 943\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022 23 | `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)` |\n| $1,863,967.00 , $2,060,671.00 , $2,111,929.00\n, $50,778.00 , $31,858.00 , $30,848.00 | Table 5: Financial expenditure\nItem 2022/23 2021/22 2020/21\nSalary and related expenses $1,863,967.00 $2,060,671.00 $2,111,929.00\nAdministrative expenses $50,778.00 $31,858.00 $30,848.00\nLegal expenses $0 $0.00 $1,056.00\nTotal expenditure $1,914,745.00 $2,092,529.00 $2,143,833.00\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2022/2023 23 | `annual-reports/2022-23.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/Twenty-ninth-Annual-Report-2022-2023.pdf)` |\n| $2,060,671.00 , $2,111,929.00\n, $50,778.00 , $31,858.00 , $30,848.00\n, $0 | [pages 24,25,26,27]\n967.00 $2,060,671.00 $2,111,929.00\nAdministrative expenses $50,778.00 $31,858.00 $30,848.00\nLegal expenses $0 $0.00 $1,056.00\nTotal expenditure $1,914,745.00 $2,092,529.00 $2,143,833.00\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2022/2023 23 | `annual-reports/2022-23.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/Twenty-ninth-Annual-Report-2022-2023.pdf)` |\n| $2,042,897.00 , $1,863,967.00 , $2,060,671.00\n, $46,602.00 , $50,778.00 , $31,858.00 | Table 5: Financial expenditure\nItem 2023/2024 2022/2023 2021/22\nSalary and related expenses $2,042,897.00 $1,863,967.00 $2,060,671.00\nAdministrative expenses $46,602.00 $50,778.00 $31,858.00\nLegal expenses $0.00 $0.00 $0.00\nTotal expenditure $2,089,499.00 $1,914,745.00 $2,092,529.00\n22 Repatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2023/2024 | `annual-reports/2023-24.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5384.Annual-Report-2023-24-R5.ACCESS.pdf)` |\n| $1,863,967.00 , $2,060,671.00\n, $46,602.00 , $50,778.00 , $31,858.00\n, $0.00 | [pages 23,24,25,26,27]\n,897.00 $1,863,967.00 $2,060,671.00\nAdministrative expenses $46,602.00 $50,778.00 $31,858.00\nLegal expenses $0.00 $0.00 $0.00\nTotal expenditure $2,089,499.00 $1,914,745.00 $2,092,529.00\n22 Repatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2023/2024 | `annual-reports/2023-24.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5384.Annual-Report-2023-24-R5.ACCESS.pdf)` |\n| $1,995,405.00 , $2,042,897.00 , $1,863,967.00\n, $47,065.00 , $46,602.00 , $50,778.00 | Table 5: Financial expenditure\nItem 2024–25 2023–24 2022–23\nSalary and related expenses $1,995,405.00 $2,042,897.00 $1,863,967.00\nAdministrative expenses $47,065.00 $46,602.00 $50,778.00\nLegal expenses $0.00 $0.00 $0.00\nTotal expenditure $ 2,042,470.00 $2,089,499.00 $1,914,745.00\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2024–25 21 | `annual-reports/2024-25.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf)` |\n| $2,042,897.00 , $1,863,967.00\n, $47,065.00 , $46,602.00 , $50,778.00\n, $0.00 | [pages 22,23,24,25,26]\n995,405.00 $2,042,897.00 $1,863,967.00\nAdministrative expenses $47,065.00 $46,602.00 $50,778.00\nLegal expenses $0.00 $0.00 $0.00\nTotal expenditure $ 2,042,470.00 $2,089,499.00 $1,914,745.00\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2024–25 21 | `annual-reports/2024-25.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf)` |\n| 25 per cent, 50 per cent, 60 per cent, 100 per cent | The initial amount was 25 per cent, followed by\nan increase to 50 per cent in 1975, 60 per cent in January 1982 and finally 100 per cent\nin November of the same year. | `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)` |\n| 150 per cent | The result of this was the introduction of the\nextreme disablement adjustment (EDA), payable to extremely disabled veterans over\n65 at effectively 150 per cent of the general rate disability pension. | `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)` |\n\n## Key Achievements\n\n- Table 1: Requests under the FOI Act\n2020/21 2019/20 2018/19\nInformation requested/provided under s 196I 1 5 3 2\nRequests received 7 3 3\nInvalid requests 0 0 0\nRequests granted 6 3 3\nRequests refused (in full or part) 2 1 3 2\nRequests completed 3 7 3 3\n1 Section 196I of the VEA which provides for eligible persons and organisations to access documents containing information\nconsidered by the Authority as part of an investigation, is the Authority’s preferred mechanism for providing information and\nincurs no charge.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- [Page 15]\nTable 3: Overview of investigations and reviews\nCategory 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19\nInvestigations notified 1 4 3 5\nLegislation Act reviews notified 2 41 28 39\nFocussed reviews notified 3 33 13 29\nTotal investigations and reviews notified 78 44 73\nTotal investigations and reviews completed 4 65 41 74\nAverage time taken in days to complete 5 240 (273) 356(479) 297 (448)\nFocussed reviews completed 11 13 27\nAverage time in days taken to complete 74 89 70 (137)\nfocussed reviews 6\nInvestigations and reviews notified in previous 5 24 11\nreporting periods and yet to be completed\nInvestigations and reviews notified in reporting 35 30 41\nperiod and yet to be completed\nTotal investigations and reviews outstanding 7 40 (59) 53 52\nRequests for investigation or review refused 17 28 6\n1 An investigation is undertaken pursuant to s 196B(4) to determine whether a SOP may be determined.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- Table 1: Requests under the FOI Act\n2021/22 2020/21 2019/20\nInformation requested/provided under s 196I 1 3 5 3\nRequests received 5 7 3\nInvalid requests 0 0 0\nRequests granted 5 6 3\nRequests refused (in full or part) 0 1 3\nRequests completed 2 5 7 3\n1 Section 196I of the VEA which provides for eligible persons and organisations to access documents containing information\nconsidered by the Authority as part of an investigation, is the Authority’s preferred mechanism for providing information and\nincurs no charge.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n- [Page 15]\nTable 3: Overview of investigations and reviews\nCategory 2021/22 2020/21 2019/20\nInvestigations notified 1 6 4 3\nLegislation Act reviews notified 2 58 41 28\nFocussed reviews notified 3 11 33 13\nTotal investigations and reviews notified 75 78 44\nTotal investigations and reviews completed 4 58 5 65 41\nAverage time taken in days to complete 6 282 (345) 240 (273) 356 (479)\nFocussed reviews completed 14 11 13\nAverage time in days taken to complete 131 74 89\nfocussed reviews\nInvestigations and reviews notified in previous 25 8 24\nreporting periods and yet to be completed 7\nInvestigations and reviews notified in reporting 61 61 30\nperiod and yet to be completed 7\nTotal investigations and reviews outstanding 86 69 53\nRequests for investigation or review refused 10 17 28\n1 An investigation is undertaken pursuant to s 196B(4) to determine whether a SOP may be determined.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n- [Page 15]\nTable 3: Overview of investigations and reviews\nCategory 2022/23 2021/22 2020/21\nInvestigations notified1 3 6 4\nLegislation Act reviews notified2 26 58 41\nFocused reviews notified3 2 11 33\nTotal investigations and reviews notified 31 75 78\nTotal investigations and reviews completed4 57 58 65\nAverage time taken in days to complete5 370 (395) 282 (345) 240 (273)\nFocused reviews completed 6 14 11\nAverage time in days taken to complete focused 120 131 74\nreviews\nInvestigations and reviews notified in previous 17 25 8\nreporting periods and yet to be completed7\nInvestigations and reviews notified in reporting 25 61 61\nperiod and yet to be completed6\nTotal investigations and reviews outstanding 42 86 69\nRequests for investigation or review refused 11 10 17\n1 An investigation is undertaken pursuant to s 196B(4) to determine whether a SOP may be determined.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/Twenty-ninth-Annual-Report-2022-2023.pdf)`\n- Table 3: Overview of investigations and reviews\nCategory 2023/2024 2022/2023 2021/22\nInvestigations notified1 4 3 6\nLegislation Act reviews notified2 36 26 58\nFocused reviews notified3 2 2 11\nTotal investigations and reviews notified 42 31 75\nTotal investigations and reviews completed4 36 57 58\nAverage time taken in days to complete5 467(477) 370 (395) 282 (345)\nFocused reviews completed 1 6 14\nAverage time in days taken to complete\n114 120 131\nfocused reviews\nInvestigations and reviews notified in previous\n11 17 25\nreporting periods and yet to be completed7\nInvestigations and reviews notified in reporting\n37 25 61\nperiod and yet to be completed6\nTotal investigations and reviews outstanding 48 42 86\nRequests for investigation or review refused 11 11 10\n1 An investigation is undertaken pursuant to s 196B(4) to determine whether a SOP may be determined.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5384.Annual-Report-2023-24-R5.ACCESS.pdf)`\n- [Page 15]\nTable 3: Overview of investigations and reviews\nCategory 2024–25 2023–24 2022–23\nInvestigations notified1 2 4 3\nLegislation Act reviews notified2 35 36 26\nFocused reviews notified3 2 2 2\nTotal investigations and reviews notified 39 42 31\nTotal investigations and reviews completed4 46 36 57\nAverage time taken in days to complete5 411(418) 467(477) 370 (395)\nFocused reviews completed 1 1 6\nAverage time in days taken to complete focused\n266 114 120\nreviews\nInvestigations and reviews notified in previous\n6 11 17\nreporting periods and yet to be completed7\nInvestigations and reviews notified in reporting\n35 37 25\nperiod and yet to be completed6\nTotal investigations and reviews outstanding 41 48 42\nRequests for investigation or review refused 2 11 11\n1 These are investigation requests in relation to new conditions.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2024-25.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf)`\n- 3.13 The Repatriation Commission considered that the achievement of the\nobjectives would entail expenditure on:\n1. sustenance while awaiting employment;\n2. sustenance while undergoing training;\n3. sustenance while undergoing treatment or care in hospitals or special\ninstitutions;\n4. sustenance while awaiting the allotment of land, and during the initial\nperiod of land occupancy;\n5. medical treatment after discharge, including the provision of artificial\nlimbs and other surgical aids;\n6. emergency grants to cover exceptional necessities;\n7. fees to educational institutions;\n8. tools of trade, professional instruments and personal equipment;\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 1 24\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 5,6,7]\ns of SOPs was reduced\nto an average of around 9.5 months in 2020-2021, reflecting the impact of the additional staff\nmember recruited in 2020\nPrincipal Medical Researcher\nThe year also saw the establishment of a Principal Medical Researcher (PMR) position in the Authority\nSecretariat.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- During\nthe course of the year, the Authority notified 78 further investigations, completed 65 investigations\nand as at 30 June 2020 had 67 ongoing investigations.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- During\nthe course of the year, the Authority notified 75 further investigations, completed 58 investigations\nand as at 30 June 2022 had 86 ongoing investigations.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n- During\nthe course of the year, the Authority notified 31 further investigations, completed 57 investigations\nand as at 30 June 2023 had 42 ongoing investigations.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/Twenty-ninth-Annual-Report-2022-2023.pdf)`\n\n## Key Issues, Risks, and Recommendations\n\n- 1) Infectious disease SOPs and factors concerning infectious disease\n2) Standard radiation factors\n3) Genetic risk factors and genetic disorder SOPs\n4) Smoking factors in SOPs\n5) Obesity factors\n6) Immunosuppression factors\n7) Wording of transplantation factors and associated definitions in cancer SOPs\n8) Chronic kidney disease and chronic renal failure\n9) Dietary factors\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\n11) Drug factors and lists\n12) Periods of one month\n13) Generic exposure factors\n1) Infectious disease SOPs and factors concerning infectious disease\nInfectious disease SOPs\nA standard approach for infectious disease SOPs was agreed at the February 2020 RMA meeting as\nlisted below.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- For protective factors:\nan inability to consume an average of at least x grams per day of any combination of fruit and vegetables, for\nat least 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 113,114,115,116]\nuit and vegetables, for\nat least 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- For protective factors:\ninability to consume an average of at least x grams per day of any combination of fruit and vegetables, for at\nleast 5 consecutive years within the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\nFor risk factors:\nconsuming an average of at least x grams per day of processed meat product, for at least 5 consecutive years\nwithin the 20 years before the clinical onset of disease x;\n10) Harmonisation of ingredient names\nFrom April 2016 the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) will be updating some medicine\ningredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023-.pdf)`\n- Recognising this risk, the\nAuthority has placed/will place a transition note in all SOPs undergoing investigation which have or\nwill have a category 2 stressor factor as follows:\n“experiencing a category 2 stressor within the 10 years before the suicide or the attempted\nsuicide;\nNote 1: A category 2 stressor can arise in a variety of circumstances connected with service.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n- Date of Gazettal\n30. motor neurone disease 67 & 68/2013 05/01/21\n31. myeloma 69 & 70/2012 23/04/20\n32. narcolepsy 7 & 8/2014 04/05/21\n33. periodic limb movement disorder 26 & 27/2014 04/05/21\n34. periodontal abscess 49 & 50/2013 05/01/21\n35. polycythaemia vera 11 & 12/2013 23/04/20\n36. primary myelofibrosis 17 & 18/2013 23/04/20\n37. restless legs syndrome 20 & 21/2014 04/05/21\n38. sick sinus syndrome 15 & 16/2014 09/03/21\n39. sleep apnoea 41 & 42/2013 05/01/21\n40. somatic symptom disorder 24 & 25/2014 04/05/21\n41. steatohepatitis 79 & 80/2013 09/03/21\n42. sudden unexplained death 57 & 58/2013 05/01/21\nTable 7: Outstanding reviews pursuant to s 196B(7A)*\nDate of Gazettal\nFocussed Reviews Instrument No.\nnotice\n1. ischaemic heart disease (psoriatic arthritis) 01 & 02/2016 21/05/21\n2. m alignant neoplasm of the brain (pesticides, 85 &86/2016 21/05/21\nherbicides and non-ionising radiation)\n3.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- 84/2020 04/05/2021\n* In April 2021 the Authority decided to issue a notice of investigation for a focussed review of the definition of ‘pack-year of\ntobacco products’ and the definition of ‘pack-year’ (as the case may be) in the SOPs for 19 conditions.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)`\n- Publications\nAnnual Reports\nThirty-first Annual Report 2024/2025\nThirty-first Annual Report 2024/2025\n(PDF 1 MB)\nThirtieth Annual Report 2023/2024\nThirtieth Annual Report 2023/2024\n(PDF 922 KB)\nTwenty-ninth Annual Report 2022/2023\nTwenty-ninth Annual Report 2022/2023\n(PDF 2.5 MB)\nTwenty-eighth Annual Report 2021/2022\nTwenty-eighth Annual Report 2021/2022\n(PDF 1.6 MB)\nTwenty-seventh Annual Report 2020/2021\nTwenty-seventh Annual Report 2020/2021\n(PDF 3.5 MB)\nTwenty-sixth Annual Report 2019/2020\nTwenty-sixth Annual Report 2019/2020\n(PDF 2.3 MB)\nTwenty-fifth Annual Report 2018/2019\nTwenty-fifth Annual Report 2018/2019\n(PDF 5.9 MB)\nTwenty-fourth Annual Report 2017/2018\nTwenty-fourth Annual Report 2017/2018\n(PDF 2.7 MB)\nTwenty-third Annual Report 2016/2017\nTwenty-third Annual Report 2016/2017\n(PDF 1.4 MB)\nTwenty-second Annual Report 2015/2016\nTwenty-second Annual Report 2015/2016\n(PDF 3.5 MB)\n  Source: `pages/publications-index.html (http://www.rma.gov.au/publications)`\n- [Page 21]\nGLOSSARY\nBOP balance of probabilities\nCI confidence interval\nDVA Department of Veterans’ Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nICD International Classification of Diseases\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nOR odds ratio\nRH reasonable hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nRR relative risk\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSMSE sound medical-scientific evidence\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRMA Member Handbook | 20\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- The Council may include in the declaration any recommendation that it\nconsiders fit to make about any future investigation that the Authority may carry out in\nrespect of that kind of injury, disease or death.\n(6) If the Council is asked under section 196Z to review a decision of the Repatriation\nMedical Authority under subsection 196C(4) not to carry out an investigation in respect\nof a particular kind of injury, disease or death, the Council must consider:\n(a) the reasons given by the Authority for making the decision; and\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 3 59\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [Page 105]\nAttachment 2 Glossary/Abbreviations\nBOP balance of probabilities\nCI confidence interval\nDVA Department of Veterans' Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nIARC International Agency for Research on Cancer\nICD International Classification of Diseases\nOR odds ratio\nRH reasonable hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nRR relative risk\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSMSE sound medical-scientific evidence\nSOP Statement of Principles\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 6 104\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- Chronic renal failure\nhaving chronic renal failure at the time of the clinical onset of disease x;\nNote: chronic renal failure is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\nchronic renal failure means:\n(a) having a glomerular filtration rate of less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 for a period of at least 3 months; or\n(b) a need for renal replacement therapy (dialysis or transplantation) for treatment of complications of\ndecreased glomerular filtration rate which would otherwise increase the risk of morbidity and mortality;\nor\n(c) undergoing chronic dialysis.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 5,6,7]\ns of SOPs was reduced\nto an average of around 9.5 months in 2020-2021, reflecting the impact of the additional staff\nmember recruited in 2020\nPrincipal Medical Researcher\nThe year also saw the establishment of a Principal Medical Researcher (PMR) position in the Authority\nSecretariat.\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)`\n- Whilst the court was considering a different issue in Budworth v\nRepatriation Commission [2001] FCA 317; (2001) 63 ALD 422 the case does provide\nsome analogous support, in my view, for the fact that a misdescription of a disease in\na request would not permit the RMA to ignore such a request if its expertise and the\ndefinition in the Act permitted it to identify the substantive “particular” kind of disease\nthat was dealt with or sought to be raised in the request.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/Whatdisease.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/FOI/Whatdisease.pdf)`\n\n## Corporate Values and Operating Culture\n\n- They were:\n• that the entire question of the re-establishment of discharged soldiers and the\ncare of the dependants of soldiers generally should be made the concern of a\nCommonwealth authority; and\n• that the Commonwealth authority should devise a substantially uniform system\nof dealing with returned soldiers and the dependants of soldiers on service or\nsoldiers who died as a result of service in respect of:\n1. immediate amelioration;\n2. care of the totally incapacitated;\n3. vocational training of the partially incapacitated;\n4. employment generally;\n5. assistance towards permanent re-establishment;\n6. care of dependants;\n7. coordination of governmental and private efforts for the expansion of\nexisting industries and promotion of new industries to meet the demand for\nemployment; and\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 1 23\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- Note 2A: For warlike service, non-warlike service and members referred to in paragraph (2)(ca), see\nsection 196KA. (These definitions are for the purposes of the MRCA.)\nNote 3: For factor related to service see subsection (14).\n(3) If the Authority is of the view that on the sound medical-scientific evidence available it\nis more probable than not that a particular kind of injury, disease or death can be\nrelated to:\n(a) eligible war service (other than operational service) rendered by veterans; or\n(b) defence service (other than hazardous service and British nuclear test defence\nservice) rendered by members of the Forces; or\n(ba) peacetime service rendered by members;\nthe Authority must determine a Statement of Principles in respect of that kind of injury,\ndisease or death setting out:\n(c) the factors that must exist; and\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- Subsequent investigation and review of determinations concerning Statement of\nPrinciples\n(7) If the Authority:\n(a) is asked under section 196E to review:\n(i) some or all of the contents of a Statement of Principles; or\n(ii) a decision of the Authority not to make a Statement of Principles in respect\nof a particular kind of injury, disease or death; or\n(b) thinks that there are grounds for such a review; or\n(c) is directed by the Review Council under subsection 196W(7) to carry out an\ninvestigation in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death;\nthe Authority must, subject to subsection 196C(4) and section 196CA in a case where\nparagraph (a) applies, carry out an investigation to find out if there is new information\navailable about:\n(d) how the injury may be suffered or sustained, the disease may be contracted or\nthe death may occur; or\n(e) the extent (if any) to which:\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- Note: For sound medical-scientific evidence see subsection 5AB(2).\n(9) If, after carrying out the investigation, the Authority is of the view:\n(a) that there is no new sound medical-scientific evidence about that kind of injury,\ndisease or death; or\n(b) that the new sound medical-scientific evidence available is not sufficient to justify\nthe making of a Statement of Principles, or an amendment of the Statement of\nPrinciples already determined in respect of that kind of injury, disease or death;\nthe Authority must make a declaration in writing:\n(c) stating that it does not propose to make a Statement of Principles, or amend the\nStatement of Principles already determined (as the case may be); and\n(d) giving the reasons for its decision.\n(10) If the Review Council has, by a decision notified in the Gazette, directed the Authority to\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- [pages 49,50,51]\nermination amending the Statement of Principles\ndetermined in respect of that kind of injury, disease or death in accordance with the\ndirections of the Council.\n(11) If, after reviewing a decision of the Authority not to determine a Statement of Principles\nunder subsection 196B(2) in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death, the\nReview Council has, by a decision notified in the Gazette, directed the Authority to\nmake such a Statement of Principles, the Authority must determine a Statement of\nPrinciples in respect of that kind of injury, disease or death setting out, in accordance\nwith the directions of the Council:\n(a) the factors that must as a minimum exist; and\n(b) which of those factors must be related to service rendered by a person;\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 3 48\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- Note 2: The Statement of Principles may be determined for the purposes of this Act, the MRCA, or both\nActs, in accordance with the directions of the Council (see subsection 196W(4A)).\n(12) If, after reviewing a decision of the Authority not to determine a Statement of Principles\nunder subsection 196B(3) in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death, the\nReview Council has, by a decision notified in the Gazette, directed the Authority to\nmake such a Statement of Principles, the Authority must determine a Statement of\nPrinciples in respect of that kind of injury, disease or death setting out, in accordance\nwith the directions of the Council:\n(a) the factors that must exist; and\n(b) which of those factors must be related to service rendered by a person;\nbefore it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, an injury, disease or death of\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- The result will be that a medical hypothesis linking\nparticular kinds of injury, disease or death with war service that does not have a\nsound medical-scientific basis will no longer be sufficient to constitute a\n3 http://www.dva.gov.au/consultation-and-grants/reviews/clarke-review#report\n4https://www.dva.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/consultation%20and%20grants/reviews/mrca/mrcareport/v\nol1-full18032011.pdf\n5 Clem LLoyd and Jacqui Rees, The last shilling : a history of Repatriation in Australia, Carlton : Melbourne\nUniversity Press, 1994; Creyke, RC & Sutherland, Veterans’ Entitlements Law, 3rd Edition, Federation Press,\nSydney, 2016.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n- Note 3: For service injury, service disease and service death see section 196KA. (These definitions are\nfor the purposes of the MRCA.)\n(5) If, after carrying out the investigation, the Authority is of the view that there is sound\nmedical-scientific evidence on which it can rely to determine a Statement of Principles\nunder subsection (2) or (3), in respect of that kind of injury, disease or death, the\nAuthority must do so as soon as practicable.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)`\n\n## Global Ideas and Case Study Inputs\n\n_No global-intelligence source text found yet. Run `CLAUDE/global-ideas-scraper.py <entity>` to populate case-study sources._\n\n## Source Artifacts Used\n\n- `annual-reports/2020-21.pdf` - annual-reports - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf\n- `annual-reports/2021-22.pdf` - annual-reports - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf\n- `annual-reports/2022-23.pdf` - annual-reports - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/Twenty-ninth-Annual-Report-2022-2023.pdf\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pdf` - annual-reports - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5384.Annual-Report-2023-24-R5.ACCESS.pdf\n- `annual-reports/2024-25.pdf` - annual-reports - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf\n- `pages/about.html` - pages - http://www.rma.gov.au/who-we-are\n- `pages/announcements-index.html` - pages - http://www.rma.gov.au/sops\n- `pages/announcements-index__00.html` - pages - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/SOP/FullSOPIndex/Full-alpha-index-29-to-46-of-2026.pdf\n- `pages/contact.html` - pages - http://www.rma.gov.au/contact-us\n- `pages/homepage.html` - pages - http://www.rma.gov.au\n- `pages/priorities-index.html` - pages - http://www.rma.gov.au/what-we-do\n- `pages/publications-index.html` - pages - http://www.rma.gov.au/publications\n- `other-pdfs/Whatdisease.pdf` - other-pdfs - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/FOI/Whatdisease.pdf\n- `other-pdfs/159833R-Policy-document-application-of-the-concept-of-beneficial-legislationu201.pdf` - other-pdfs - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/FOI/159833R-Policy-document-application-of-the-concept-of-beneficial-legislationu2019-to-the-Practices-and-Procedures-of-the-Repatriation-Medical-Authority2-1.pdf\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pdf` - other-pdfs - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pdf\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf` - other-pdfs - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pdf` - other-pdfs - http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023-.pdf\n\n## Gaps To Fix\n\n- No corporate plan text source found.\n- No global comparison/case-study sources found.",
  "legislation_md": "# Repatriation Medical Authority - Acts and Legislation Discovery\n\n**Generated at**: 2026-05-09T21:22:07.847197+00:00\n**Entity ID**: B-003154\n**Jurisdiction**: Commonwealth\n**Portfolio**: Veterans' Affairs (part of the Defence Portfolio)\n\n> This is an evidence-based discovery list from scraped department material. A mention does not always mean the department administers the legislation; high-confidence and official register links should be reviewed.\n\n## Summary\n\n- Source files scanned: 17\n- Unique legislation references found: 46\n\n| Type | Count |\n|---|---:|\n| Act | 38 |\n| Determination | 8 |\n\n## Legislation References\n\n### Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 21\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Veterans%27+Entitlements+Act+1986\n\n**Sources**:\n- `pages/announcements-index.html`\n- `pages/homepage.html`\n- `pages/priorities-index.html`\n- `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/159833R-Policy-document-application-of-the-concept-of-beneficial-legislationu201.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- passed by Parliament. SOPs exclusively state what factors must exist to establish a causal connection between particular diseases, injuries or death and service.\nThe SOPs apply to decisions about liability for injuries, diseases and deaths made under both the\nVeterans' Entitlements Act 1986\n(VEA) and the\nMilitary Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\n(MRCA).\nApart from\nseveral exceptions provided for in the MRCA\nall claims must be assessed by reference to the relevant SOP where a SOP exists.\nAll current SOPs (as well as a comprehensive record\n  Source: `pages/announcements-index.html`\n- military service, based on sound medical-scientific evidence. The SOPs state the factors which \"must\" or \"must as a minimum\" exist to cause a particular kind of disease, injury or death.\nIn carrying out its duties the RMA is bound by relevant sections of the\nVeterans' Entitlements Act 1986: PART XIA.\nThe SOPs are disallowable instruments which are tabled in both Houses of the Australian Parliament and they are binding on the various decision makers. The matters of fact relating to an individual veteran's case, including the nature of service an\n  Source: `pages/homepage.html`\n- st by an eligible person or organisation as provided for in the VEA or at the direction of the Specialist Medical Review Council (SMRC).\nIn some instances the RMA decides that it cannot determine a SOP, or cannot amend the contents of a SOP. In such cases the\nVeterans' Entitlements Act 1986\n(VEA)\nrequires that the RMA make a written declaration and give reasons for the decision.\nOn occasions, the RMA has declined to undertake an investigation, or, following an investigation, declined to determine SOPs on the grounds that a matter is not a ‘parti\n  Source: `pages/priorities-index.html`\n- port\nThe details of the RMA’s activities throughout the year are contained in our\nAnnual Report\n.\nThe Government has agreed that, at an opportune time, a clause requiring the RMA to table an annual report will be included in a future proposed amendment to the\nVeterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n. A copy of the\nAustralian Government response to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee Report Annual reports (No. 1 and No. 2 of 2019)\nis available\nhere\n.\nWhat We Do\nHow we make our decisions\nSeeking a review of an RMA decision\n  Source: `pages/priorities-index.html`\n- ion and Compensation Commission or the Repatriation\nCommission (the Commissions) of such.\nIn the current year there were thirty-four (39 in 2019-2020) requests for the review of existing SOPs.\nSeventeen (17) of these requests were refused under s 196CA of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n(the VEA) as the request did not identify sufficient relevant information to support the grounds on\nwhich the review was sought or otherwise justify a review. These requests generally involve an initial\nreview of the relevant sound medical-scientific evidence\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 9\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Military+Rehabilitation+and+Compensation+Act+2004\n\n**Sources**:\n- `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- sound\nmedical scientific evidence” for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating\nto veterans’ matters; the “reasonable hypothesis” standard and the “reasonable satisfaction” (or\n“balance of probabilities”) standard.\nThe passage of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA) extended the\napplication of SOPs to the consideration of claims to have injury, disease or death accepted as\nservice-related under that Act for all service on or after 1 July 2004.\nA SOP in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death w\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- sound\nmedical scientific evidence” for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating\nto veterans’ matters; the “reasonable hypothesis” standard and the “reasonable satisfaction” (or\n“balance of probabilities”) standard.\nThe passage of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA) extended the\napplication of SOPs to the consideration of claims to have injury, disease or death accepted as\nservice-related under that Act for all service on or after 1 July 2004.\nA SOP in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death w\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- sound\nmedical scientific evidence” for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating\nto veterans’ matters; the “reasonable hypothesis” standard and the “reasonable satisfaction” (or\n“balance of probabilities”) standard.\nThe passage of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA) extended the\napplication of SOPs to the consideration of claims to have injury, disease or death accepted as\nservice-related under that Act for all service on or after 1 July 2004.\nA SOP in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death w\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- sound\nmedical scientific evidence” for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating\nto veterans’ matters; the “reasonable hypothesis” standard and the “reasonable satisfaction” (or\n“balance of probabilities”) standard.\nThe passage of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA) extended the\napplication of SOPs to the consideration of claims to have injury, disease or death accepted as\nservice-related under that Act for all service on or after 1 July 2004.\nA SOP in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death w\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- sound\nmedical scientific evidence” for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating\nto veterans’ matters; the “reasonable hypothesis” standard and the “reasonable satisfaction” (or\n“balance of probabilities”) standard.\nThe passage of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) extended the\napplication of SOPs to the consideration of claims to have injury, disease or death accepted as\nservice-related under that Act for all service on or after 1 July 2004.\nA SOP in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death which\n  Source: `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Public Service Act 1999\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 7\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Public+Service+Act+1999\n\n**Sources**:\n- `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- 21\nIn accordance with s 196R of the VEA, minutes are kept of the proceedings of each meeting.\nRMA Secretariat\nThe staff (see Appendix 1 – RMA Secretariat staffing structure) necessary to assist the Authority\nconsists of persons appointed or employed under the Public Service Act 1999 and made available to\nthe Authority by the Secretary of the DVA. For the year 2020/21, staffing of the Secretariat equated to\n11.5 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) positions.\nWebsite\nThe Authority’s website address is http://www.rma.gov.au. The website offers direc\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- 22\nIn accordance with s 196R of the VEA, minutes are kept of the proceedings of each meeting.\nRMA Secretariat\nThe staff (see Appendix 1 – RMA Secretariat staffing structure) necessary to assist the Authority\nconsists of persons appointed or employed under the Public Service Act 1999 and made available to\nthe Authority by the Secretary of the DVA. For the year 2021/22, staffing of the Secretariat equated to\n11.5 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) positions.\nWebsite\nThe Authority’s website address is http://www.rma.gov.au. The website offers direc\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- 23\nIn accordance with s 196R of the VEA, minutes are kept of the proceedings of each meeting.\nRMA Secretariat\nThe staff (see Appendix 1 – RMA Secretariat staffing structure) necessary to assist the Authority\nconsists of persons appointed or employed under the Public Service Act 1999 and made available to\nthe Authority by the Secretary of the DVA. For the year 2022/23, staffing of the Secretariat equated to\n11.5 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) positions.\nWebsite\nThe Authority’s website address is http://www.rma.gov.au. The website offers direc\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- 24\nIn accordance with s 196R of the VEA, minutes are kept of the proceedings of each meeting.\nRMA Secretariat\nThe staff (see Appendix 1 – RMA Secretariat staffing structure) necessary to assist the Authority\nconsists of persons appointed or employed under the Public Service Act 1999 and made available to\nthe Authority by the Secretary of the DVA. For the year 2023/2024, staffing of the Secretariat equated\nto 11.5 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) positions.\nWebsite\nThe Authority’s website address is http://www.rma.gov.au. The website offers dir\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- 25\nIn accordance with s 196R of the VEA, minutes are kept of the proceedings of each meeting.\nRMA Secretariat\nThe staff (see Appendix 1 – RMA Secretariat staffing structure) necessary to assist the Authority\nconsists of persons appointed or employed under the Public Service Act 1999 and made available\nto the Authority by the Secretary of DVA. For the year 2024–25, staffing of the Secretariat equated to\n11.5 Full-Time Equivalent positions.\nWebsite\nThe Authority’s website address is http://www.rma.gov.au. The website offers direct access t\n  Source: `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Freedom of Information Act 1982\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 6\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Freedom+of+Information+Act+1982\n\n**Sources**:\n- `pages/homepage.html`\n- `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- e\ncontact us.\nStatements of Principles\nHere you may access all of the Statements of Principles.\nStatements of Principles\nJoin our Mailing List\nDo you want to be notified of the latest news from this site?\nSubscribe\nFreedom of Information\nInformation about the\nFreedom of Information Act 1982\nand the RMA.\nInformation Publication Scheme\n  Source: `pages/homepage.html`\n- Authority - Annual Report 2020/2021\n\n[page 13]\nThe Authority regards the website as its principal method of communicating information, distributing\nSOPs and related information, and interacting with stakeholders.\nFreedom of Information\nAgencies subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) are required to publish information\nto the public as part of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). Each agency must display on its\nwebsite a plan showing what information it publishes in accordance with the IPS requirements. The\nplan and other p\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022\n\n[page 13]\nThe Authority regards the website as its principal method of communicating information, distributing\nSOPs and related information, and interacting with stakeholders.\nFreedom of Information\nAgencies subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) are required to publish information\nto the public as part of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). Each agency must display on its\nwebsite a plan showing what information it publishes in accordance with the IPS requirements. The\nplan and other p\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- Authority - Annual Report 2022/2023\n\n[page 13]\nThe Authority regards the website as its principal method of communicating information, distributing\nSOPs and related information, and interacting with stakeholders.\nFreedom of Information\nAgencies subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) are required to publish\ninformation to the public as part of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). Each agency must\ndisplay on its website a plan showing what information it publishes in accordance with the IPS\nrequirements. The plan and other p\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- Authority - Annual Report 2023/2024\n\n[page 13]\nThe Authority regards the website as its principal method of communicating information, distributing\nSOPs and related information, and interacting with stakeholders.\nFreedom of Information\nAgencies subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) are required to publish information\nto the public as part of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). Each agency must display on its\nwebsite a plan showing what information it publishes in accordance with the IPS requirements. The\nplan and other p\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Act 2007\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 5\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Affairs+Legislation+Amendment+%28Statements+of+Principles+and+Other+Measures%29+Act+2007\n\n**Sources**:\n- `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- al condition; and\n2. in the case of information about how that kind of injury, disease or death may be caused\n– meets the applicable criteria for assessing causation currently applied in the field of\nepidemiology.”\nThe Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Act\n2007, which commenced in 2007, provides the Authority with the discretionary power to determine\nwhether a review of the contents of an existing SOP would be undertaken in relation to some or all of\nthe contents of the SOP.\nA SOP is a legislative instrument for the\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- al condition; and\n2. in the case of information about how that kind of injury, disease or death may be caused\n– meets the applicable criteria for assessing causation currently applied in the field of\nepidemiology.”\nThe Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Act\n2007, which commenced in 2007, provides the Authority with the discretionary power to determine\nwhether a review of the contents of an existing SOP would be undertaken in relation to some or all of\nthe contents of the SOP.\nA SOP is a legislative instrument for the\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- al condition; and\n2. in the case of information about how that kind of injury, disease or death may be caused\n– meets the applicable criteria for assessing causation currently applied in the field\nof epidemiology.”\nThe Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Act\n2007, which commenced in 2007, provides the Authority with the discretionary power to determine\nwhether a review of the contents of an existing SOP should be undertaken in relation to some or all of\nthe contents of the SOP.\nA SOP is a legislative instrument for th\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- al condition; and\n2. in the case of information about how that kind of injury, disease or death may be caused\n– meets the applicable criteria for assessing causation currently applied in the field of\nepidemiology.”\nThe Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Act\n2007, which commenced in 2007, provides the Authority with the discretionary power to determine\nwhether a review of the contents of an existing SOP should be undertaken in relation to some or all of\nthe contents of the SOP.\nA SOP is a legislative instrument for th\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- al condition; and\n2. in the case of information about how that kind of injury, disease or death may be caused\n– meets the applicable criteria for assessing causation currently applied in the field of\nepidemiology.”\nThe Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Act\n2007, which commenced in 2007, provides the Authority with the discretionary power to determine\nwhether a review of the contents of an existing SOP should be undertaken in relation to some or all of\nthe contents of the SOP.\nA SOP is a legislative instrument for th\n  Source: `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1920\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 5\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Australian+Soldiers%27+Repatriation+Act+1920\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- because there was\nno precedent for the scheme and policy was therefore unfolding and changing at a\nrate too rapid to be accommodated within a formal legislative framework.\nTHE AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS' REPATRIATION ACT 1920\n3.15 New legislation in the form of the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1920\nrepealed the War Pensions Act 1914 and the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1917.\nAdministrative changes under the new legislation included the reform of the\nRepatriation Commission into an incorporated body of three members, with\nRepatriation Boards (al\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- t time in response to changing situations and a number of\nreviews. During the 1980s and early 1990s, significant changes were made in the standard of\nproof, pension eligibility, and compensation arrangements for peacetime service.\nLegislation has included the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1920 (later renamed the\nRepatriation Act 1920), Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA), Safety, Rehabilitation and\nCompensation Act 1988 (SRCA), Military Compensation Act 1994, and the current Military\nRehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA). The MRCA cover\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- ortance given to it by governments.\nIntroduction\n2.1 This chapter sets out some of the historical background to current military compensation\narrangements. In what follows, the term ‘military compensation arrangements’ is used in a generic\nsense, covering the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1920 (later renamed the Repatriation Act\n1920) and subsidiary legislation; its successor, the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA); the\n16 http://www.dva.gov.au/consultation-and-grants/reviews/review-military-compensation-\narrangements/implementation-activities\nR\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- habilitation.\nBeyond reasonable doubt standard of proof\n2.7 The beyond reasonable doubt standard of proof that applies to operational service is unique\nto military compensation. It has evolved in the specific context of veterans’ law. As far back as 1929,\nthe Australian Soldiers’ Repatriation Act 1920 was amended to ensure that when veterans made a\nprima facie case of causation or aggravation due to war service, the onus of proof (that it was not\ncaused by war service) lay with the determining authority, the Repatriation Commission.\n2.8 In 1943, the legisl\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- of the normal ageing process are capable of being\nlinked to military service.\n2.19 The standards of proof and SOPs will be discussed in further detail in Chapter 5 of this\nreport.\nSpecial Rate of pension\n2.20 The Special Rate of pension was introduced in the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1920\nand was granted to veterans who were blinded or totally and permanently incapacitated to such an\nextent that they could not earn a living wage. The payment was intended to benefit the most\nseriously disabled veterans, including those who were crippled or para\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### FRL Federal Register of Legislation FTE Full-Time Equivalent IPS Information Publication Scheme MRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 5\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=FRL+Federal+Register+of+Legislation+FTE+Full-Time+Equivalent+IPS+Information+Publication+Scheme+MRCA+Military+Rehabilitation+and+Compensation+Act+2004\n\n**Sources**:\n- `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- 2021 33\n\n[page 34]\n34 Repatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2020/2021\n\n[page 35]\nGlossary of terms\nBOP Balance of Probabilities\nDVA Department of Veterans’ Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2020/2021 35\n\n[page 36]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- for 19 conditions.\n30 Repatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022\n\n[page 31]\nGlossary of terms\nBOP Balance of Probabilities\nDVA Department of Veterans’ Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022 31\n\n[page 32]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- 30 Repatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2022/2023\n\n[page 31]\nGlossary of terms\nAcronym Full name\nBOP Balance of Probabilities\nDVA Department of Veterans’ Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2022/2023 31\n\n[page 32]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- 30 Repatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2023/2024\n\n[page 31]\nGlossary of terms\nAcronym Full name\nBOP Balance of Probabilities\nDVA Department of Veterans’ Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2023/2024 31\n\n[page 32]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- 24\n26 Repatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2024–25\n\n[page 27]\nGlossary of terms\nAcronym Full term\nBOP Balance of Probabilities\nDVA Department of Veterans’ Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2024–25 27\n\n[page 28]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Hypothesis RMA Repatriation Medical Authority SMRC Specialist Medical Review Council SOP Statement of Principles VEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 5\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Hypothesis+RMA+Repatriation+Medical+Authority+SMRC+Specialist+Medical+Review+Council+SOP+Statement+of+Principles+VEA+Veterans%E2%80%99+Entitlements+Act+1986\n\n**Sources**:\n- `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2020/2021 35\n\n[page 36]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2020-21.pages.jsonl`\n- Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022 31\n\n[page 32]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2022/2023 31\n\n[page 32]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2023/2024 31\n\n[page 32]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nFAQs Frequently Asked Questions\nFOI Freedom of Information\nFRL Federal Register of Legislation\nFTE Full-Time Equivalent\nIPS Information Publication Scheme\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nRH Reasonable Hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2024–25 27\n\n[page 28]\n  Source: `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Federal Budget. The Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 4\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Federal+Budget.+The+Veterans%E2%80%99+Entitlements+Act+1986\n\n**Sources**:\n- `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- t was considered that such a committee would assist in providing a more\nequitable and consistent system of determining claims for disability pensions for veterans and\ntheir dependants.\nThe Government announced the establishment of the Authority in the 1994/95 Federal Budget.\nThe Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA) was amended to reflect this announcement on\n30 June 1994.\nThe functions of the Authority are specified in s 196B of the VEA. The major function of the Authority\nis to determine SOPs in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based o\n  Source: `annual-reports/2021-22.pages.jsonl`\n- t was considered that such a committee would assist in providing a more\nequitable and consistent system of determining claims for disability pensions for veterans and\ntheir dependants.\nThe Government announced the establishment of the Authority in the 1994/95 Federal Budget.\nThe Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA) was amended to reflect this announcement on\n30 June 1994.\nThe functions of the Authority are specified in s 196B of the VEA. The major function of the Authority\nis to determine SOPs in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based o\n  Source: `annual-reports/2022-23.pages.jsonl`\n- t was considered that such a committee would assist in providing a more\nequitable and consistent system of determining claims for disability pensions for veterans and\ntheir dependants.\nThe Government announced the establishment of the Authority in the 1994/95 Federal Budget.\nThe Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA) was amended to reflect this announcement on\n30 June 1994.\nThe functions of the Authority are specified in s 196B of the VEA. The major function of the Authority\nis to determine SOPs in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based o\n  Source: `annual-reports/2023-24.pages.jsonl`\n- t was considered that such a committee would assist in providing a more\nequitable and consistent system of determining claims for disability pensions for veterans and\ntheir dependants.\nThe Government announced the establishment of the Authority in the 1994–95 Federal Budget. The\nVeterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) was amended to reflect this announcement on 30 June 1994.\nThe functions of the Authority are specified in s 196B of the VEA. The major function of the Authority\nis to determine SOPs in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on “s\n  Source: `annual-reports/2024-25.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 4\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Public+Governance%2C+Performance+and+Accountability+Act+2013\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- by the Authority in the performance of its functions are, for all purposes,\ntaken to be debts incurred by the Commonwealth.\n196AA Application of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to\nthe Authority\nDespite paragraph 10(1)(d) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability\nAct 2013 and the definition of Department of State in section 8 of that Act, the\nRepatriation Medical Authority is not a Commonwealth entity for the purposes of that\nAct and is taken to be part of the Department for those purposes.\nNote: This means that the members of\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- e\nRepatriation Medical Authority is not a Commonwealth entity for the purposes of that\nAct and is taken to be part of the Department for those purposes.\nNote: This means that the members of the Authority are officials of the Department for the purposes\nof the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n196B Functions of Authority\n(1) This section sets out the functions of the Repatriation Medical Authority. The main\nfunction of the Authority is to determine Statements of Principles for the purposes of\nthis Act and the MRCA.\nDetermination of Statement of Pr\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- the Review Council in the performance of its functions are, for all\npurposes, taken to be debts incurred by the Commonwealth.\n196VA Application of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to\nthe Council\nDespite paragraph 10(1)(d) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability\nAct 2013 and the definition of Department of State in section 8 of that Act, the Review\nCouncil is not a Commonwealth entity for the purposes of that Act and is taken to be\npart of the Department for those purposes.\nNote: This means that the councillors are officials\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- in section 8 of that Act, the Review\nCouncil is not a Commonwealth entity for the purposes of that Act and is taken to be\npart of the Department for those purposes.\nNote: This means that the councillors are officials of the Department for the purposes of the Public\nGovernance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n196W Functions of Review Council\n(1) This section sets out the functions of the Review Council.\n(2) If the Council is asked under section 196Y to review:\n(a) some or all of the contents of a Statement of Principles in respect of a particular\nkind of injury,\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 3\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Compensation+%28Defence-related+Claims%29+Act+1988\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- Compensation Act ................................................ 40\nMRCA Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 41\n2. Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 ............................. 42\n3. Productivity Commission 2019, A Better Way to Support Veterans ............................................. 42\nAPPENDIX 3 - Parts XIA and XIB of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 .........................................\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- omplex nature of this legislation, and the importance given to it by governments since\nthe inception of the repatriation system in the aftermath of the First World War.\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 2 41\n\n[page 43]\n2. Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988\nIn 2017 the Parliament enacted the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related\nClaims) Act 1988 (the DRCA), which is a re-enacted version of the Safety, Rehabilitation and\nCompensation Act 1988 (the SRCA) that is modified to apply only to members\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- epatriation system in the aftermath of the First World War.\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 2 41\n\n[page 43]\n2. Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988\nIn 2017 the Parliament enacted the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related\nClaims) Act 1988 (the DRCA), which is a re-enacted version of the Safety, Rehabilitation and\nCompensation Act 1988 (the SRCA) that is modified to apply only to members of the Defence Force\nand their dependants. It is administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs with th\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Part XIA of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 3\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Part+XIA+of+the+Veterans%27+Entitlements+Act+1986\n\n**Sources**:\n- `pages/about.html`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- Who We Are - Repatriation Medical Authority\n\nWho We Are\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority (the Authority) is an independent statutory agency established under Part XIA of the\nVeterans' Entitlements Act 1986\n(VEA). The Authority is part of the Veterans’ Affairs portfolio.\nThe Authority consists of a panel of five practitioners eminent in fields of medical science. One of their number must be a person having at least 5 years experience in the field of epidemiology\n  Source: `pages/about.html`\n- ground radiation exposure in\nAustralia, calculated in accordance with the methodology set out in Guide to calculation of 'cumulative\nequivalent dose' for the purpose of applying ionising radiation factors contained in Statements of Principles\ndetermined under Part XIA of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), Australian Radiation Protection and\nNuclear Safety Agency, as in force on 2 August 2017.\nRMA Guidelines for Researchers 15\n\n[page 19]\nNote 1: Examples of circumstances that might lead to exposure to ionising radiation include being present during or\nsu\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Guidelines-for-Researchers-revised-December-2023.pages.jsonl`\n- d in accordance with the methodology set out in Guide to calculation of 'cumulative\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 6 106\n\n[page 108]\nequivalent dose' for the purpose of applying ionising radiation factors contained in Statements of Principles\ndetermined under Part XIA of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), Australian Radiation Protection and\nNuclear Safety Agency, as in force on 2 August 2017.\nNote 1: Examples of circumstances that might lead to exposure to ionising radiation include being present during or\nsubsequent to the testing or use of nuclear wea\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 3\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Safety%2C+Rehabilitation+and+Compensation+Act+1988\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- ompensation-\narrangements/implementation-activities\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 2 33\n\n[page 35]\nMilitary Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA); and Commonwealth workers’\ncompensation legislation as and when applied to military personnel (e.g. the Safety, Rehabilitation\nand Compensation Act 1988 (SRCA) and its antecedent legislation).\nBackground to the repatriation system\n2.2 Since 1914, Australian governments of all political persuasions have made it a high priority\nto provide compensation and related support to veterans and their dependants. The ca\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- ter 7 April 1994 Not applicable SRCA\nWarlike service (including VEA SRCA and VEA\nservice in operational areas)\nNon-warlike (including SRCA and VEA\npeacekeeping and hazardous)\nservice\nPart-time Reservist service SRCA\nCFTS = Continuous full-time service, SRCA = Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act\n1988, VEA = Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nBlack Hawk helicopter accident and the Tanzer Review\n2.39 On 12 June 1996, two Black Hawk helicopters collided and crashed at the High Range\nTraining Area near Townsville, resulting in the deaths of 18 Australian Regular\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- Appendix 2 41\n\n[page 43]\n2. Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988\nIn 2017 the Parliament enacted the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related\nClaims) Act 1988 (the DRCA), which is a re-enacted version of the Safety, Rehabilitation and\nCompensation Act 1988 (the SRCA) that is modified to apply only to members of the Defence Force\nand their dependants. It is administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs with the Military\nRehabilitation and Compensation Commission (MRCC) having the responsibility for determi\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### VEA) and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: high\n**Mentions**: 3\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=VEA%29+and+the+Military+Rehabilitation+and+Compensation+Act+2004\n\n**Sources**:\n- `pages/announcements-index.html`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- ively state what factors must exist to establish a causal connection between particular diseases, injuries or death and service.\nThe SOPs apply to decisions about liability for injuries, diseases and deaths made under both the\nVeterans' Entitlements Act 1986\n(VEA) and the\nMilitary Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\n(MRCA).\nApart from\nseveral exceptions provided for in the MRCA\nall claims must be assessed by reference to the relevant SOP where a SOP exists.\nAll current SOPs (as well as a comprehensive record of all past versions of SOPs produced by the RMA) can be found\n  Source: `pages/announcements-index.html`\n- causally to prior service. They are tabled in the Australian Parliament and are binding on decision\nmakers at all levels, including the Courts. SOPs are the instruments used to determine eligibility for\nentitlements under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) and the Military Rehabilitation and\nCompensation Act 2004 (MRCA).\n2. The VEA is \"beneficial legislation\" and is intended to be generous. This is seen in the legislative tests\nfor the inclusion of factors set out in Part XIA of the VEA, which permit factors at standards of proof\nlower than those that might be conside\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- causally to prior service. They are tabled in the Australian Parliament and are binding on decision\nmakers at all levels, including the Courts. SOPs are the instruments used to determine eligibility for\nentitlements under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) and the Military Rehabilitation and\nCompensation Act 2004 (MRCA).\n2. The VEA is \"beneficial legislation\" and is intended to be generous. This is seen in the legislative tests\nfor the inclusion of factors set out in Part XIA of the VEA, which permit factors at standards of proof\nlower than those that might be conside\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Parts XIA and XIB of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 2\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Parts+XIA+and+XIB+of+the+Veterans%E2%80%99+Entitlements+Act+1986\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- .................. 41\n2. Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 ............................. 42\n3. Productivity Commission 2019, A Better Way to Support Veterans ............................................. 42\nAPPENDIX 3 - Parts XIA and XIB of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 ............................................. 44\nAPPENDIX 4 - User Guide to the RMA’s Statements of Principles ........................................................ 68\nAPPENDIX 5 - RMA Practices and Procedures ..............................................\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- elivery of the report the RMA now publishes the Reference Lists for each condition\non its website. As well, the Secreatry has provided an additional staff member to support the\nAuthority's functions.\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 2 43\n\n[page 45]\nAPPENDIX 3 - Parts XIA and XIB of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 3 44\n\n[page 46]\nPart XIA—The Repatriation Medical Authority\nDivision 1—Establishment, functions and powers\n196A Establishment of Authority\n(1) A Repatriation Medical Authority is established.\n(2) The Repatriation Medical Authori\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Veterans' Support Act 2014\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 2\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Veterans%27+Support+Act+2014\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- e draws on those advisers' knowledge and experience, especially\nknowledge of service conditions and experience of difficulties when making or assessing claims.\n43. Since 2014, New Zealand has incorporated the SOPs into its decision making framework, under its\nVeterans' Support Act 2014. A review of this Act in 2018 recommended that a New Zealand\nVeterans’ Affairs (NZVA) medical practitioner attend RMA meetings. The RMA agreed to extend an\ninvitation to an NZVA nominee to attend RMA meetings as an expert adviser.\n44. Where a factor has been\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- e draws on those advisers' knowledge and experience, especially\nknowledge of service conditions and experience of difficulties when making or assessing claims.\n43. Since 2014, New Zealand has incorporated the SOPs into its decision making framework, under its\nVeterans' Support Act 2014. A review of this Act in 2018 recommended that a New Zealand\nVeterans’ Affairs (NZVA) medical practitioner attend RMA meetings. The RMA agreed to extend an\ninvitation to an NZVA nominee to attend RMA meetings as an expert adviser.\n44. Where a factor has been\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1917\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Australian+Soldiers%27+Repatriation+Act+1917\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- changing at a\nrate too rapid to be accommodated within a formal legislative framework.\nTHE AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS' REPATRIATION ACT 1920\n3.15 New legislation in the form of the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1920\nrepealed the War Pensions Act 1914 and the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1917.\nAdministrative changes under the new legislation included the reform of the\nRepatriation Commission into an incorporated body of three members, with\nRepatriation Boards (also of three) constituted for each state. The boards were\nresponsible for determining a\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Department of Veterans’ Affairs ESO Ex-Service Organisation ICD International Classification of Diseases MRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Department+of+Veterans%E2%80%99+Affairs+ESO+Ex-Service+Organisation+ICD+International+Classification+of+Diseases+MRCA+Military+Rehabilitation+and+Compensation+Act+2004\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- nt process\nand assessment of causation, and grading criteria please refer to the relevant sections of the\nRMA Practices and Procedures document at Appendix 5.\nRMA Member Handbook | 19\n\n[page 21]\nGLOSSARY\nBOP balance of probabilities\nCI confidence interval\nDVA Department of Veterans’ Affairs\nESO Ex-Service Organisation\nICD International Classification of Diseases\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nOR odds ratio\nRH reasonable hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nRR relative risk\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSMSE sound medical-scientific evidence\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRMA Member Handbook | 20\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Naval Defence Act 1910\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Naval+Defence+Act+1910\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- ommonwealth Parliament had\nalready accepted the principle of statutory workers’ compensation and had passed legislation to that\neffect.\n2.28 For many years, peacetime compensation coverage for military personnel was provided\nunder the Defence Act 1903 and the Naval Defence Act 1910. From 1949, Australian Defence Force\n(ADF) members were given formal access to Commonwealth workers’ compensation legislation.\n2.29 Compensation pensions under the VEA were generally more beneficial for ADF members\nengaged on ‘active service’ or who ‘served i\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Parts of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Parts+of+the+Veterans%E2%80%99+Entitlements+Act+1986\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- umber of chapters, covering an introduction to the Statements of\nPrinciples (SOPs) system, sound medical-scientific evidence, and standards of proof. It includes\na number of detailed appendices, including a history of the Australian Repatriation system,\nthose Parts of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) which directly relate to the RMA and\nthe Specialist Medical Review Council (SMRC - the body established to review RMA decisions\non application), a number of policy documents providing a detailed description of the RMA’s\noperations, and a description of\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### RMA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=RMA+Veterans%E2%80%99+Entitlements+Act+1986\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- iod of x years, before the clinical\nonset/worsening of disease x; and\n(b) commencing at least x years before the clinical onset/worsening of disease x;\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 6 115\n\n[page 117]\nAPPENDIX 7\nThe concept of ‘beneficial legislation’ and the RMA\nVeterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 as “beneficial legislation”\n1. The Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) establishes a scheme whereby the Commonwealth of\nAustralia is liable to pay pensions, benefits or allowances to veterans who have eligible service and\nhave suffered an injury or a diseas\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Repatriation (Far East Strategic Reserve) Act 1956\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Repatriation+%28Far+East+Strategic+Reserve%29+Act+1956\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- ere allotted for duty in the operational area in Korea, or from 29 June\n1950 to 1September 1957 in Malaya. The Act was later amended in the 1960s to\ncover Australian armed services personnel serving in the Indonesian\nConf rontation. In 1957, the Repatriation (Far East Strategic Reserve) Act 1956\nbrought members of the Far East Strategic Reserve within the purview of the\nrepatriation system, although the nature of their service was considered not to be the\nsame as that of personnel in World War II or Korea. As a consequence they did not,\nat that time,\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Repatriation (Special Overseas Service) Act 1962\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Repatriation+%28Special+Overseas+Service%29+Act+1962\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- to be the\nsame as that of personnel in World War II or Korea. As a consequence they did not,\nat that time, receive eligibility for the service pension.\n3.28 Increasing Australian military involvement in South-East Asia led to the passage of\nthe Repatriation (Special Overseas Service) Act 1962. This legislation\n... extended repatriation benefits for [s]pecial service inprescribed areas\noverseas, where Australian forces were engaged in 'warlike operations'. This\nprovision was instrumental in providing pensions and benefits for Vietnam\nWar veterans.\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Repatriation Fund Act 1916\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Repatriation+Fund+Act+1916\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- Army Medical\nCorps Nursing Service accepted or appointed for service outside Australia, and the\nfollowing year it was extended to members on home service (Toose 1975, pp. 20-21).\n3.6 Another significant early piece of legislation was the Australian Soldiers '\nRepatriation Fund Act 1916, although not for the reasons originally envisaged by its\nauthors. The fund was in principle virtually identical to the failed patriotic funds of\nthe 19th century, reliant on public subscriptions, with some augmentation from the\nGovernment, but established by\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### SOP Statement of Principles VEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: medium\n**Mentions**: 1\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=SOP+Statement+of+Principles+VEA+Veterans%E2%80%99+Entitlements+Act+1986\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- national Classification of Diseases\nMRCA Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004\nOR odds ratio\nRH reasonable hypothesis\nRMA Repatriation Medical Authority\nRR relative risk\nSMRC Specialist Medical Review Council\nSMSE sound medical-scientific evidence\nSOP Statement of Principles\nVEA Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\nRMA Member Handbook | 20\n\n[page 22]\nAPPENDIX 1 - History of the SOP system\nThis overview entitled ‘History of Repatriation System’, is chapter 3 of the report of the Review of\nVeterans’ Entitlements (also known as the Clarke Report). The review was commission\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Application of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: low\n**Mentions**: 2\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Application+of+the+Public+Governance%2C+Performance+and+Accountability+Act+2013\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- print of the seal of the Authority appearing on a\ndocument; and\n(b) presume that the document was duly sealed.\n(4) Debts incurred by the Authority in the performance of its functions are, for all purposes,\ntaken to be debts incurred by the Commonwealth.\n196AA Application of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to\nthe Authority\nDespite paragraph 10(1)(d) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability\nAct 2013 and the definition of Department of State in section 8 of that Act, the\nRepatriation Medical Authority is not a Commonwealth entity for the purposes\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- he seal of the Review Council appearing on a\ndocument; and\n(b) presume that the document was duly sealed.\n(4) Debts incurred by the Review Council in the performance of its functions are, for all\npurposes, taken to be debts incurred by the Commonwealth.\n196VA Application of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to\nthe Council\nDespite paragraph 10(1)(d) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability\nAct 2013 and the definition of Department of State in section 8 of that Act, the Review\nCouncil is not a Commonwealth entity for the purposes of that Act and is\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Compensation (Commonwealth Government Employees) Act 1971\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: low\n**Mentions**: 2\n**Register search**: https://www.legislation.gov.au/search?query=Compensation+%28Commonwealth+Government+Employees%29+Act+1971\n\n**Sources**:\n- `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n**Evidence contexts**:\n- usive to war\nservice, and the change was not consistent with the history of Australia’s military compensation\narrangements.\nRMA Member Handbook | Appendix 2 37\n\n[page 39]\n2.33 Compensation for peacetime service was also still available under the Compensation\n(Commonwealth Government Employees) Act 1971, which created a system of ‘dual eligibility’.\n2.34 This meant that those injured on peacetime service could choose between different benefits\nprovided by two separate Acts, whereas those on operational service were restricted to one Act. The\ndecision to comb\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n- lly significant because of the pre-eminent\nrole it gave to rehabilitation and helping injured employees return to the workforce. Enactment of\nthe SRCA resulted in the two preceding Acts — the Commonwealth Employees’ Compensation Act\n1930 and the Compensation (Commonwealth Government Employees) Act 1971 — being repealed.\n2.36 However, Part X of the SRCA gives employees and former employees of the Commonwealth,\nwho are covered by the earlier Acts, the right to claim compensation under the SRCA as if the 1930\nand 1971 Act continued to operate. This provision i\n  Source: `other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pages.jsonl`\n\n### Legislative Instruments Act 2003\n\n**Type**: Act\n**Confidence**: low\n**Mentions**: 2\n**Register\n\n_…truncated, open the .md file for the full content._",
  "global_initiatives_md": null,
  "strategy": {
    "reporting_period": "2024-25",
    "corporate_plan_period": "2025-26",
    "vision": null,
    "vision_source_page": null,
    "purposes": "The major function of the Authority is to determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence' for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters; the'reasonable hypothesis' standard and the 'balance of probabilities' standard. [AR p.8]",
    "purposes_source_page": 8,
    "how_we_deliver": "The Authority conducts investigations either on its own initiative or when it receives a request under s 196E of the VEA in respect of a particular kind of injury, disease or death. Investigations may lead to the determination of a new SOP, an amendment of an existing SOP, or a decision not to determine or amend a SOP, depending upon whether the Authority is of the view that there is sufficient sound medical scientific evidence on which it can rely to determine a new, or amend an existing, SOP. [AR p.8]",
    "how_we_deliver_source_page": 8,
    "government_priorities": [
      {
        "text": "To determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence'.",
        "source_page": 8
      }
    ],
    "outcomes": [
      {
        "name": "Outcome 1: Determination of Statements of Principles",
        "description": "The Authority determines SOPs in respect of particular kinds of injury, disease or death, based on 'sound medical scientific evidence' for the purpose of applying the applicable standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters.",
        "key_activities": [
          "Conducting investigations",
          "Determining new SOPs",
          "Amending existing SOPs"
        ],
        "source_page": 8
      }
    ],
    "values": [
      "sound medical scientific evidence",
      "standards of proof relating to veterans’ matters"
    ],
    "values_framework_name": null,
    "kpi_targets_2025_26": [
      {
        "code": "SOP01",
        "measure": "Number of SOPs determined",
        "target": "95",
        "source_page": 14
      },
      {
        "code": "SOP02",
        "measure": "Average time taken to complete investigations",
        "target": "411 days",
        "source_page": 15
      }
    ],
    "kpi_results_2024_25": [
      {
        "code": "SOP01",
        "measure": "Number of SOPs determined",
        "result": "95",
        "status": "Achieved",
        "source_page": 14
      },
      {
        "code": "SOP02",
        "measure": "Average time taken to complete investigations",
        "result": "411 days",
        "status": "Achieved",
        "source_page": 15
      }
    ],
    "_source_urls": {
      "annual_report_url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf",
      "corporate_plan_url": ""
    }
  },
  "ideas": [
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Citizen Services",
      "scale": "small",
      "title": "Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates",
      "idea": "Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.",
      "quote": "Such circumstances\ncan arise during the course of service, as a result of separation from service and the conditions associated with that\nseparation, and in the transition to civilian life in the years following separation.”\nCurrently a transition note appears in category 2 stressor factors in the reasonable hypothesis (RH)\nand balance of probabilities (BOP) SOPs for suicide and attempted suicide, gender dysphoria, and\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022 5",
      "impact": "High",
      "effort": "Low",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Citizens / service users",
      "source": "annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Pick one high-volume process or document family.",
        "Name an owner and baseline current volume, time, cost, and satisfaction.",
        "Run a 4-8 week pilot with clear before/after metrics.",
        "Publish lessons and decide whether to scale."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Digital exclusion",
        "Low public trust if feedback is not acted on"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Citizen Services",
      "scale": "large",
      "title": "Single front door for life-event based services",
      "idea": "Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.",
      "quote": "Such circumstances\ncan arise during the course of service, as a result of separation from service and the conditions associated with that\nseparation, and in the transition to civilian life in the years following separation.”\nCurrently a transition note appears in category 2 stressor factors in the reasonable hypothesis (RH)\nand balance of probabilities (BOP) SOPs for suicide and attempted suicide, gender dysphoria, and\nRepatriation Medical Authority - Annual Report 2021/2022 5",
      "impact": "Very High",
      "effort": "High",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Citizens / service users",
      "source": "annual-reports/2021-22.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-eighth-Annual-Report-2021-2022-v2.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Create a senior responsible owner and cross-functional delivery team.",
        "Map legislation, data, privacy, procurement, cyber, and workforce constraints.",
        "Co-design with users and frontline staff before technology selection.",
        "Stage delivery through pilots, benefits tracking, and public reporting."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Digital exclusion",
        "Low public trust if feedback is not acted on"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Risk & Assurance",
      "scale": "small",
      "title": "Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries",
      "idea": "Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.",
      "quote": "These papers systematically describe and analyse the available SMSE concerning\npotential risk factors for the condition under investigation, and identify issues warranting\nconsideration by the RMA.",
      "impact": "High",
      "effort": "Low",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Executives / assurance teams",
      "source": "other-pdfs/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Pick one high-volume process or document family.",
        "Name an owner and baseline current volume, time, cost, and satisfaction.",
        "Run a 4-8 week pilot with clear before/after metrics.",
        "Publish lessons and decide whether to scale."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Regulatory capture",
        "Over-automation of judgement"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Risk & Assurance",
      "scale": "large",
      "title": "Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system",
      "idea": "Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.",
      "quote": "These papers systematically describe and analyse the available SMSE concerning\npotential risk factors for the condition under investigation, and identify issues warranting\nconsideration by the RMA.",
      "impact": "Very High",
      "effort": "High",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Executives / assurance teams",
      "source": "other-pdfs/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Practices-and-Procedures-2021.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Create a senior responsible owner and cross-functional delivery team.",
        "Map legislation, data, privacy, procurement, cyber, and workforce constraints.",
        "Co-design with users and frontline staff before technology selection.",
        "Stage delivery through pilots, benefits tracking, and public reporting."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Regulatory capture",
        "Over-automation of judgement"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Staff Productivity",
      "scale": "small",
      "title": "Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents",
      "idea": "Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.",
      "quote": "[Page 58]\nDivision 3—Staff and consultants\n196T Staff\nThe staff necessary to assist the Repatriation Medical Authority consists of persons\nengaged under the Public Service Act 1999 and made available to the Authority by the\nSecretary.",
      "impact": "High",
      "effort": "Low",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "APS staff / executives",
      "source": "other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Pick one high-volume process or document family.",
        "Name an owner and baseline current volume, time, cost, and satisfaction.",
        "Run a 4-8 week pilot with clear before/after metrics.",
        "Publish lessons and decide whether to scale."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Sensitive information leakage",
        "Inconsistent quality of generated drafts"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Staff Productivity",
      "scale": "large",
      "title": "Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform",
      "idea": "Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.",
      "quote": "[Page 58]\nDivision 3—Staff and consultants\n196T Staff\nThe staff necessary to assist the Repatriation Medical Authority consists of persons\nengaged under the Public Service Act 1999 and made available to the Authority by the\nSecretary.",
      "impact": "Very High",
      "effort": "High",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "APS staff / executives",
      "source": "other-pdfs/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/What-we-do/RMA-Member-Handbook-4-February-2022-current.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Create a senior responsible owner and cross-functional delivery team.",
        "Map legislation, data, privacy, procurement, cyber, and workforce constraints.",
        "Co-design with users and frontline staff before technology selection.",
        "Stage delivery through pilots, benefits tracking, and public reporting."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Sensitive information leakage",
        "Inconsistent quality of generated drafts"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Data & Performance",
      "scale": "small",
      "title": "KPI evidence register with named owners",
      "idea": "Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.",
      "quote": "[Page 8]\nSound medical scientific evidence is defined in s 5AB(2) of the VEA as follows:\n“Information about a particular kind of injury, disease or death is taken to be sound medical-scientific\nevidence if:\n1. the information:\n(i) is consistent with material relating to medical science that has been published in a\nmedical or scientific publication and has been, in the opinion of the Repatriation Medical\nAuthority, subjected to a peer review process; or\n(ii) in accordance with generally accepted medical practice, would serve as the basis for\nthe diagnosis and management of a medical condition; and\n2. in the case of information about how that kind of injury, disease or death may be caused\n– meets the applicable criteria for assessing causation currently applied in the field of\nepidemiology.”\nThe Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Act",
      "impact": "High",
      "effort": "Low",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Executives / Parliament / public",
      "source": "annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Pick one high-volume process or document family.",
        "Name an owner and baseline current volume, time, cost, and satisfaction.",
        "Run a 4-8 week pilot with clear before/after metrics.",
        "Publish lessons and decide whether to scale."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Data & Performance",
      "scale": "large",
      "title": "Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact",
      "idea": "Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.",
      "quote": "[Page 8]\nSound medical scientific evidence is defined in s 5AB(2) of the VEA as follows:\n“Information about a particular kind of injury, disease or death is taken to be sound medical-scientific\nevidence if:\n1. the information:\n(i) is consistent with material relating to medical science that has been published in a\nmedical or scientific publication and has been, in the opinion of the Repatriation Medical\nAuthority, subjected to a peer review process; or\n(ii) in accordance with generally accepted medical practice, would serve as the basis for\nthe diagnosis and management of a medical condition; and\n2. in the case of information about how that kind of injury, disease or death may be caused\n– meets the applicable criteria for assessing causation currently applied in the field of\nepidemiology.”\nThe Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Act",
      "impact": "Very High",
      "effort": "High",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Executives / Parliament / public",
      "source": "annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Create a senior responsible owner and cross-functional delivery team.",
        "Map legislation, data, privacy, procurement, cyber, and workforce constraints.",
        "Co-design with users and frontline staff before technology selection.",
        "Stage delivery through pilots, benefits tracking, and public reporting."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Regulation & Policy",
      "scale": "small",
      "title": "Regulatory burden scan for forms, guidance, and reporting",
      "idea": "Identify the top 10 highest-friction reporting obligations and simplify guidance, forms, or evidence requirements.",
      "quote": "While it is the\nAuthority’s policy to give stakeholders additional time to make submissions and provide feedback\nfollowing gazettal of investigations, the time taken for completion of full reviews of SOPs was reduced\nto an average of around 9.5 months in 2020-2021, reflecting the impact of the additional staff\nmember recruited in 2020\nPrincipal Medical Researcher\nThe year also saw the establishment of a Principal Medical Researcher (PMR) position in the Authority\nSecretariat.",
      "impact": "High",
      "effort": "Low",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Regulated entities / policy teams",
      "source": "annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Pick one high-volume process or document family.",
        "Name an owner and baseline current volume, time, cost, and satisfaction.",
        "Run a 4-8 week pilot with clear before/after metrics.",
        "Publish lessons and decide whether to scale."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Regulatory capture",
        "Over-automation of judgement"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Regulation & Policy",
      "scale": "large",
      "title": "Adaptive regulation program with live feedback loops",
      "idea": "Create an adaptive regulation model using sandboxes, industry data, risk scoring, and regular rule updates.",
      "quote": "While it is the\nAuthority’s policy to give stakeholders additional time to make submissions and provide feedback\nfollowing gazettal of investigations, the time taken for completion of full reviews of SOPs was reduced\nto an average of around 9.5 months in 2020-2021, reflecting the impact of the additional staff\nmember recruited in 2020\nPrincipal Medical Researcher\nThe year also saw the establishment of a Principal Medical Researcher (PMR) position in the Authority\nSecretariat.",
      "impact": "Very High",
      "effort": "High",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Regulated entities / policy teams",
      "source": "annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Create a senior responsible owner and cross-functional delivery team.",
        "Map legislation, data, privacy, procurement, cyber, and workforce constraints.",
        "Co-design with users and frontline staff before technology selection.",
        "Stage delivery through pilots, benefits tracking, and public reporting."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Regulatory capture",
        "Over-automation of judgement"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Citizen Participation",
      "scale": "small",
      "title": "Consultation feedback summaries with response tracking",
      "idea": "Summarise consultation submissions by theme and publish what changed in response.",
      "quote": "While it is the\nAuthority’s policy to give stakeholders additional time to make submissions and provide feedback\nfollowing gazettal of investigations, the time taken for completion of full reviews of SOPs was reduced\nto an average of around 9.5 months in 2020-2021, reflecting the impact of the additional staff\nmember recruited in 2020\nPrincipal Medical Researcher\nThe year also saw the establishment of a Principal Medical Researcher (PMR) position in the Authority\nSecretariat.",
      "impact": "High",
      "effort": "Low",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Citizens / stakeholders / policy teams",
      "source": "annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Pick one high-volume process or document family.",
        "Name an owner and baseline current volume, time, cost, and satisfaction.",
        "Run a 4-8 week pilot with clear before/after metrics.",
        "Publish lessons and decide whether to scale."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Digital exclusion",
        "Low public trust if feedback is not acted on"
      ]
    },
    {
      "entity_id": "B-003154",
      "entity_name": "Repatriation Medical Authority",
      "folder_name": "Repatriation-Medical-Authority",
      "category": "Citizen Participation",
      "scale": "large",
      "title": "Always-on policy participation platform",
      "idea": "Create a standing participation platform where citizens and stakeholders can propose, vote, and track ideas.",
      "quote": "While it is the\nAuthority’s policy to give stakeholders additional time to make submissions and provide feedback\nfollowing gazettal of investigations, the time taken for completion of full reviews of SOPs was reduced\nto an average of around 9.5 months in 2020-2021, reflecting the impact of the additional staff\nmember recruited in 2020\nPrincipal Medical Researcher\nThe year also saw the establishment of a Principal Medical Researcher (PMR) position in the Authority\nSecretariat.",
      "impact": "Very High",
      "effort": "High",
      "proof": "Evidence-backed",
      "beneficiaries": "Citizens / stakeholders / policy teams",
      "source": "annual-reports/2020-21.pdf (http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA-Twenty-seventh-Annual-Report-2020-2021.pdf)",
      "implementation": [
        "Create a senior responsible owner and cross-functional delivery team.",
        "Map legislation, data, privacy, procurement, cyber, and workforce constraints.",
        "Co-design with users and frontline staff before technology selection.",
        "Stage delivery through pilots, benefits tracking, and public reporting."
      ],
      "risks": [
        "Privacy and data quality",
        "Change fatigue",
        "Unclear accountability",
        "Digital exclusion",
        "Low public trust if feedback is not acted on"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "legislation_administered": [],
  "artifacts": [
    {
      "category": "annual-reports",
      "year": "2024-25",
      "url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5477.Annual-Report-2025-R2.ACCESS.pdf",
      "file": "annual-reports/2024-25.pdf",
      "bytes": 1074165,
      "link_text": "Thirty-first Annual Report 2024/2025"
    },
    {
      "category": "annual-reports",
      "year": "2023-24",
      "url": "http://www.rma.gov.au/assets/Publications/Files/RMA.5384.Annual-Report-2023-24-R5.ACCESS.pdf",
      "file": "annual-reports/2023-24.pdf",
      "bytes": 943803,
      "link_text": "Thirtieth Annual Report 2023/2024"
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