Australia introduced The Rehabilitatiom Act ; following WW1 and this act of Parliament was carried by successive Governments until 2000, when fundamental changes were mooted which would have reduced a service man or womans rehabilitation to little more than workers compensation. Following WW1; large tracts of land were set aside for "soldier settlement". Also, many homes were built to accomodate  the worst affected by this terrible ordeal. Then a newly ellected Government took an axe to the system. Election of a new Government put paid to all that. The current fiscal payments for severe  damage; either physical or mental or a combination of both is based on 1. CPI[ consumer price index] or 2Matwe[male average total earnings ]. The amount is $1943 Australian dollars paid every 2 weeks; this is reviewed every March and September, based against the previously mentioned data. . There is also clothing allowances where applicable and other benefits. The entire compensation system is qualified thus; Any compensation must be as a result of war caused injuries[ Sometimes difficult to prove and if a service person appeals a decision, there is more likely to be a reduction of 5 %, rather than an increase. As the Australian dollar is trading at almost the exact same as the U.S. dollar; it all seems fair. What is not fair is the huge waiting list to get even to stage 1. It used to be that most of the D.V.A. board was comprised of ex service folk. Not so now; public servants with NO idea of the Military make the rules and the sometimes clumsy decisions. There are 2 cards issued to those found to have suffered permanent disablement, ;one is a white card for specified illnesses etc. The other is the much coveted Gold card; which accounts for everything.I posess a Gold card and use it exclusively for health care. I do have a Medicare card; but rarely produce or use it. The next compensation review is in September and I sure hope the Government[whoever they are] does not forget the sacrifices made by this Nations men and women.


Lex..