Are there any payments specifically for veterans?

Okay, based on the provided text from Australian legislation, here's a breakdown of payments specifically for veterans, written in plain English and with more detailed explanations:

In Plain English

Yes, there are several payments available specifically for veterans. These payments aim to support veterans and, in some cases, their families, covering various needs such as:

• Tax-Exempt Payments: Several payments under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 are exempt from income tax.
• Veteran Payment: An interim payment is available to veterans who have claimed a service-related mental injury or disease under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 or the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988. This payment can also extend to their partners.
• Allowances: There are allowances for specific circumstances, such as the Victoria Cross allowance for veterans awarded the Victoria Cross or Victoria Cross for Australia, and recreation transport allowance for veterans with specific war-caused injuries.
• Economic Support Payments: There have been specific economic support payments made to veterans in recent years (e.g., 2020, 2021, 2022), which are also tax-exempt.
• Funeral Benefits: Financial assistance may be available for funeral expenses of certain deceased veterans or their dependants.
• Family Support: Assistance is available to family members of veterans, including family support and employment support.
• Acute Support Packages: The Repatriation Commission may grant an acute support package to a veteran, a war widow or war widower, a former partner of a veteran, or a related person of a veteran.

Detailed Explanation

The legislative context provides several instances of payments and benefits available to veterans and their families. Here's a more detailed look:

1. Tax Exemptions (Income Tax Assessment Act 1997):

   • Several payments made under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 are specifically exempt from income tax. This includes:
     • Payments under section 198N.
     • Prisoner of war recognition supplement.
     • Clean energy payments.
     • One-off energy assistance payments.
     • Economic support payments made in 2020 and 2021.
     • Cost of living payments made in 2022.
   • Supplementary amounts of veterans’ affairs payments, such as rent assistance, additional amounts for dependent children, remote area allowance, tax-exempt pension supplement, and energy supplement, are also tax-exempt.
   • Payments similar to those under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 from the UK government may also be exempt.
   • Payments under the Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme are exempt from income tax (Income Tax Assessment Act 1997).

2. Veteran Payment (Veterans’ Entitlements (Veteran Payment) Instrument 2018):

   • This is an interim payment for veterans who have made a claim for a service injury or disease that is a mental injury or disease under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 or the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988.
   • Eligibility criteria are defined in section 45SB of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986.
   • The payment is also available to the partner of the veteran under certain conditions.
   • The payment period starts 14 days before the claim and ends 42 days after the claim is determined.
   • The Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 1) Act 2018 introduced this payment.

3. Allowances (Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986):

   • Decoration Allowance: Granted to veterans who have been awarded eligible decorations for gallantry.
   • Victoria Cross Allowance: Granted to veterans who have been awarded the Victoria Cross or the Victoria Cross for Australia.
   • Recreation Transport Allowance: Granted to veterans suffering incapacity from a war-caused injury or disease to assist with travel costs for recreational purposes.

4. Funeral Benefit (Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986):

   • The Commission may grant a benefit towards funeral expenses for a deceased veteran or their dependant in indigent circumstances.

5. Family Support (Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-centric Reforms No. 1) Act 2018):

   • The Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 allows for assistance or benefits (like child care, counselling, or household services) to be provided to a member, former member, or a related person of a member, former member, or deceased member who has rendered warlike service on or after 1 July 2004.

6. Employment Support (Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Supporting the Wellbeing of Veterans and Their Families) Act 2020):

   • Regulations may provide assistance or benefits to former members to help them transition into civilian work.

7. Acute Support Packages (Veterans’ Entitlements (Defence, Veterans’ and Families’ Acute Support Package) Instrument 2022):

   • The Repatriation Commission may grant an acute support package to a veteran, a war widow or war widower, a former partner of a veteran, or a related person of a veteran.

8. One-off Payments (Veterans' Entitlements (Compensation - Japanese Internment) Regulations 2001):

   • A one-off payment of $25,000 to veterans interned by the Japanese during the Second World War or their dependants (other than children).
   • A one-off payment of $300 to certain elderly veterans and elderly dependants.

9. Weekly Payments (Veterans’ Entitlements (Weekly Payments – Class of Persons) Instrument 2021):

   • A class of persons who meet certain criteria is specified for subsections 58A(3A) and 121(5A) of the Act.

It is important to note that eligibility criteria and specific conditions apply to each of these payments. The Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, and related instruments provide detailed information on these aspects.