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Veterans’ Affairs to front F-111 deseal/reseal personnel inquiry

The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hold its first public hearing next week for its inquiry into the compensation issues surrounding former Royal Australian Air Force personnel and their families affected by the deseal/reseal cleaning process of fuel tanks on F-111 bombers. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of Defence, along with the Commonwealth Ombudsman, will appear before the Defence Sub-Committee on Monday 21 July.

The Defence Sub-Committee will investigate and review claims for compensation made by former F-111 deseal/reseal personnel, including the Commonwealth’s response to the health and support needs of the former deseal/reseal workers and their families.

The Sub-Committee will investigate whether the response was adequate and consistent with the findings of the previous Study of Health Outcomes in Aircraft Maintenance Personnel (SHOAMP) by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and whether the overall administration and handling of the program was accurate.

The Sub-Committee has been tasked with reporting on the following Terms of Reference and will consider:

• the adequacy and equity of the Health Care Scheme in meeting the health and support needs of the of participants and their families, and whether this was consistent with SHOAMP findings;
• the adequacy and equity of the financial element of the Ex-Gratia Scheme and whether it was consistent with:

(i) the findings of SHOAMP;

(ii) the Health Care Scheme Response;

(iii) the Tier definitions; and

(iv) one-off payments to other veterans groups; and 

• whether the overall handling and administration of ex-gratia and compensation claims was appropriate, timely and transparent for both participants and their families.

Public hearings will be held on Monday 21 July 2008 in Canberra, and in Brisbane on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 July at the Queensland State Parliament.

Program for Monday 21 July 2008, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra:

• 9:00am – 11:00am                      Department of Defence;
• 11:15am – 12:15pm                    Commonwealth Ombudsman;
• 1:15pm – 4:00pm                        Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

This hearing will be webcast live on: http://webcast.aph.gov.au/livebroadcasting/

Comments to: liaison.reps@aph.gov.au
Last reviewed 7 July 2008 by the House Liaison and Projects Office
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