Federation Chamber
12 August 2026
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Federation Chamber Australian Parliament
10:34 - 12:05
Speaker 1
Are there any constituency statements by honorable members? I call member for Indi. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. No veteran should have to fight their own government to access the healthcare that they've already earned. The veterans in my electorate and across the country are deeply concerned about the government's proposed $5,000 cap on DVA allied health services.
Allied healthcare is a crucial part of their recovery, rehabilitation, long-term health and wellbeing. In this year's budget, the government committed to increasing provider fees for veterans' allied health services. The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide identified low DVA fees as a barrier to veterans accessing care, and I really welcome action to address that. Unfortunately, though, the government is fixing one problem while potentially creating another. Alongside the fee increase, the government is introducing a $5,000 annual spending cap on allied health services.
The cap replaces the existing 12-session treatment cycle, and many veterans will appreciate not having to get multiple referrals for chronic and lifelong conditions. But for too many veterans, $5,000 will just simply not cover everything they require.
The government has confirmed that there will be a mechanism to spend more than $5,000 where there is valid clinical need. They've described the cap as a threshold for review. But the problem here is we've got no clarity about what that means. Who will decide whether someone's medical needs are valid and on what basis? How long will it take?
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