Amendment Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 69 of 2018

Administered by Department of Veterans' Affairs

Legislation au F2018L00913 Not in force Legislative Instrument

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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

 

AMENDMENT Statement of Principles concerning

THORACIC SPONDYLOSIS

NO. 69 OF 2018

 

VETERANS' ENTITLEMENTS ACT 1986

MILITARY REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION ACT 2004

 

  1. This is the Explanatory Statement to the Amendment Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 69 of 2018.

Background

2.             The Repatriation Medical Authority (the Authority) has determined, under subsections 196B(2) and (8) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA) Amendment Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 69 of 2018.

3.             This Instrument amends Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 64 of 2014 (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2014L00931) by:

  • replacing the existing factors "i" and "u" in clause 6 concerning 'lifting loads'; and
  • replacing the existing factors "j" and "v" in clause 6 concerning 'carrying loads'.

Day of Commencement

4.             This Instrument also specifies a day of commencement for the amendment in accordance with subsection 12(3) of the Legislation Act 2003.

Consultation

5.             Prior to determining this Instrument, the Authority advertised its intention to undertake an investigation in relation to thoracic spondylosis in the Government Notices Gazette of 14 November 2017, and circulated a copy of the notice of intention to investigate to a wide range of organisations representing veterans, service personnel and their dependants.  The Authority invited submissions from the Repatriation Commission, organisations and persons referred to in section 196E of the VEA, and any person having expertise in the field.  Three submissions were received for consideration by the Authority during the investigation.

Human Rights

6.             This instrument is compatible with the Human Rights and Freedoms recognised or declared in the International Instruments listed in Section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011. A Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights follows.

Finalisation of Investigation

7.             The determining of this Instrument finalises the investigation in relation to thoracic spondylosis as advertised in the Government Notices Gazette of 14 November 2017.

References

8.             A list of references relating to the above condition is available to any person or organisation referred to in subsection 196E(1)(a) to (c) of the VEA.  Any such request must be made in writing to the Repatriation Medical Authority at the following address:

The Registrar

Repatriation Medical Authority

GPO Box 1014

BRISBANE    QLD    4001

 


Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

(Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011)

 

Instrument No.:   Amendment Statement of Principles No. 69 of 2018

Kind of Injury, Disease or Death: Thoracic spondylosis

 

This Legislative Instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

Overview of the Legislative Instrument

1. This Legislative Instrument is determined pursuant to subsection 196B(8) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA) for the purposes of the VEA and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA).  Part XIA of the VEA requires the determination of these instruments outlining the factors linking particular kinds of injury, disease or death with service such being determined solely on the available sound medical-scientific evidence.

2. This Legislative Instrument:-

  • facilitates claimants in making, and the Repatriation Commission in assessing, claims under the VEA and the MRCA respectively, by specifying the circumstances in which medical treatment and compensation can be extended to eligible persons who have thoracic spondylosis;
  • facilitates the review of such decisions by the Veterans' Review Board and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal;
  • includes revised factors which the current sound medical-scientific evidence indicates must as a minimum exist, before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised, connecting thoracic spondylosis with the circumstances of eligible service rendered by a person;
  • amends Instrument No. 64 of 2014; and
  • reflects developments in the available sound medical-scientific evidence concerning thoracic spondylosis which have occurred since that earlier instrument was determined. 

3. The Instrument is assessed as being a technical instrument which improves the medico-scientific quality of outcomes under the VEA and the MRCA. 

Human Rights Implications

4. This Legislative Instrument does not derogate from any human rights. It promotes the human rights of veterans, current and former Defence Force members as well as other persons such as their dependents, including:

  • the right to social security (Art 9, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Art 26, Convention on the Rights of the Child and Art 28, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) by helping to ensure that the qualifying conditions for the benefit are 'reasonable, proportionate and transparent'[1];
  • the right to an adequate standard of living (Art 11, ICSECR; Art 27, CRC and Art 28, CRPD) by facilitating the assessment and determination of social security benefits;
  • the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (Art 12, ICSECR and Art 25, CRPD), by facilitating the assessment and determination of compensation and benefits in relation to the treatment and rehabilitation of veterans and Defence Force members;
  • the rights of persons with disabilities by facilitating the determination of claims relating to treatment and rehabilitation (Art 26, CRPD); and
  • ensuring that those rights "will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status" (Art 2, ICESCR).

Conclusion

This Legislative Instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not derogate from and promotes a number of human rights.

 

Repatriation Medical Authority

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] In General Comment No. 19 (The right to social security), the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights said (at paragraph 24) this to be one of the elements of ensuring accessibility to social security.

Overview

The Amendment Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 69 of 2018 was enacted to address the need for updated medical-scientific evidence regarding thoracic spondylosis in veterans, ensuring that the assessment of claims for treatment and compensation remains accurate and relevant. This instrument was determined by the Repatriation Medical Authority under subsections 196B(2) and (8) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, amending the Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 64 of 2014. The policy objective of this amendment is to improve the quality of medico-scientific outcomes by incorporating recent medical-scientific evidence, facilitating more accurate assessments of claims and ensuring that veterans receive appropriate benefits without discrimination. This legislative instrument aligns with human rights by promoting the social security, standard of living, health, and non-discrimination rights of veterans, current and former Defence Force members, and their dependents.

Scope and Application

The Amendment Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 69 of 2018 applies to veterans and current or former Defence Force members who have thoracic spondylosis, facilitating their claims for medical treatment and compensation under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004. This legislative instrument is determined by the Repatriation Medical Authority, reflecting developments in the sound medical-scientific evidence concerning thoracic spondylosis. It amends the existing Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 64 of 2014 by revising certain factors that must exist to connect thoracic spondylosis with the circumstances of service. The instrument is designed to ensure that the qualifying conditions for benefits are reasonable, proportionate, and transparent, promoting human rights including the right to social security and the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. It operates within the Commonwealth jurisdiction and does not extend to state or territory laws, focusing specifically on the criteria for thoracic spondylosis-related claims.

Key Provisions

The Amendment Statement of Principles concerning thoracic spondylosis No. 69 of 2018, under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, updates the criteria for linking thoracic spondylosis with military service. It replaces existing factors in clause 6 concerning lifting and carrying loads, as detailed in Instrument No. 64 of 2014. This amendment is intended to reflect the latest sound medical-scientific evidence regarding thoracic spondylosis and aims to facilitate both the claiming process for veterans and the assessment of such claims by the Repatriation Commission. Additionally, it supports the review processes by the Veterans' Review Board and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. This legislative instrument imposes obligations on the parties involved, primarily the Repatriation Medical Authority, to ensure that the criteria for determining eligibility for compensation and medical treatment are based on the latest available evidence. It requires the Repatriation Commission to apply these updated factors in assessing claims, and it mandates the Veterans' Review Board and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to review decisions made under these new criteria. The instrument also ensures that the rights of veterans and their dependents are considered in the assessment and determination of benefits, promoting fair and transparent processes. Failure to comply with the provisions of this instrument may result in challenges to the validity of claims and decisions made under it. While the instrument does not explicitly detail specific penalties for non-compliance, breaches of the legislative requirements could lead to legal disputes, appeals, or administrative reviews which may result in the overturning of decisions or the imposition of fines or other sanctions as per the relevant acts. The maximum penalties would be determined based on the specific nature of the breach and the provisions of the Veterans' Entitlements Act and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act. This legislative instrument is designed to ensure that the rights of veterans, including their right to social security, adequate living standards, and health care, are upheld. It promotes these rights by facilitating the timely and accurate assessment of claims related to thoracic spondylosis, thus ensuring that veterans receive the benefits they are entitled to under the law. By aligning the criteria with the most current medical-scientific evidence, it also supports the broader human rights principles of non-discrimination and equality in the treatment of veterans and their dependents.

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Area of Law
Veterans' Law
Instrument
Amending Act
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Regulatory Standards
Catchwords
thoracic spondylosis

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.