Re Spencer and Repatriation Commission

This matter concerned an appeal before Deputy President K Bean of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal concerning claims for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), generalised anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder, alleged to be war-caused by Mr Voelker, a veteran. The core of the dispute revolved around whether Mr Voelker had experienced a traumatic event during his operational service in Vietnam, a prerequisite for a PTSD diagnosis.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether Mr Voelker had experienced a traumatic event or events during his operational service, as necessary for a diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with the DSM-5. Further, the Tribunal had to consider whether any diagnosed conditions, including generalised anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder, were war-caused, applying the principles outlined in the four Deledio steps.

The Tribunal acknowledged the difficulties Mr Voelker faced in recalling events from his service nearly 50 years prior, particularly given his memory disturbance. However, it applied the Full Federal Court's decision in *Repatriation Commission v Bawden*, which established that a finding of a traumatic event is indispensable to a PTSD diagnosis. As Mr Voelker conceded he had no recollection of any specific traumatic event, and there was no other evidence to support such an occurrence, the Tribunal was not satisfied that he met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Consequently, the Tribunal found that even if he had met the criteria, the condition could not be considered war-caused, nor could his generalised anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder.

The decision under review was affirmed, meaning the claims for PTSD, generalised anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder were refused.