Patnaude and Repatriation Commission

[2008] AATA 255

Administrative Appeals Tribunal

DECISION AND REASONS FOR DECISION [2008] AATA 255

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL      )

)          No  2007/0808

VETERANS'      APPEALS        DIVISION		)
Re		MICHAEL ROBERT PATNAUDE

Applicant

And REPATRIATION COMMISSION

Respondent

DECISION

Tribunal Miss E.A. Shanahan, Member

Date1 April 2008

PlaceMelbourne

Decision The Tribunal affirms the decision under review. 

(sgd) E.A. Shanahan
Member

  

VETERANS' AFFAIRS – disability pension – operational service in Vietnam – severity of claim psychosocial stressors – diagnosis of claimed psychiatric disorder – alcohol dependence – credibility of the applicant – decision affirmed.

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth) s

Statements of Principles Instrument No 76 of 1998 Alcohol Dependence or Alcohol Abuse
Statements of Principles Instrument No 3 of 1999 Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder
Statements of Principles Instrument No 54 of 1999 Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder
Statements of Principles Instrument No 1 of 2000 Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Statements of Principles Instrument No 101 of 2007 Anxiety Disorder
Statements of Principles Instrument No 17 of 2007 Depressive Disorder

Statements of Principles Instrument No 58 of 1998 Depressive Disorder

Bushell v Repatriation Commission (1992) 175 CLR 408

Byrnes v Repatriation Commission (1993) 177 CLR 564

Constable v Repatriation Commission [2005] FCA 928

Delahunty v Repatriation Commission (2004) FCA 309

Dickson v Repatriation Commission (1999) 29 AAR 235

Hardman v Repatriation Commission (2005) FCAFC 83 (13 May 2005)

Meehan v Repatriation Commission [2003] FCA 1371

Repatriation Commission v Deledio (1998) 83 FCR 82

Repatriation Commission v Keeley (2000) 98 FCR 108

Stoddart v Repatriation Commission (2003) 197 ALR 283

Woodward v Repatriation Commission (2003) 200 ALR 332

White and Repatriation Commission [2004] FCA 633

REASONS FOR DECISION

1 April 2008 Miss E.A. Shanahan, Member

1.      Mr Patnaude lodged a claim for disability pension with the Repatriation Commission on 28 April 2006 on the basis that his alcoholism, depression and anxiety were war-caused conditions.   This claim was rejected by a delegate of the Repatriation Commission on 3 May 2006, following which Mr Patnaude sought review by the Veterans' Review Board (VRB).  On 16 February 2007 the VRB affirmed the primary decision.  Mr Patnaude lodged an application for review of the VRB decision with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 16 March 2007.

2. Mr Patnaude was represented by Mr A Larkin of Counsel, instructed by Williams Winter, Solicitors and the Repatriation Commission by Mr G Purcell of Counsel, instructed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. The Tribunal had before it the documents lodged pursuant to s 37 of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (the T‑documents).  The parties tendered the following documents:

Applicant

Respondent

The Applicant's statement dated 9 March 2007 – Exhibit A1.

T‑documents – Exhibit R1

The report of Dr Nigel Strauss dated 15 August 2007 – Exhibit R2

The Transcript of the VRB Hearing dated 16 February 2007 – Exhibit R3

Report of Writeway Research Services dated 13 September 2007 – Exhibit R4

The applicant's service medical record – Exhibit R5

The Applicant's claim for disability pension dated – 12 February 1998 – Exhibit R6

Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital Clinical…