NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION – ALLERGIC CONTACT DERMATITIS – HAVING A SENSITISING EXPOSURE TO AN ALLERGEN
Section 196G of the
Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986
The Repatriation Medical Authority (the Authority) gives notice under section 196G of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA) that, pursuant to subsection 196B(7A) of the VEA, it intends to carry out an investigation in respect of having a sensitising exposure to an allergen as a factor in allergic contact dermatitis.
This investigation will be carried out in the context of Statements of Principles Instrument Nos. 1 & 2 of 2021 concerning allergic contact dermatitis.
The Authority invites the following persons and organisations to make written submissions to the Authority in respect of the investigation:
a person eligible to make a claim for pension under Part II or Part IV of the VEA;
a person eligible to make a claim for compensation under section 319 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA);
an organisation representing veterans, Australian mariners, members of the Forces, members of the Peacekeeping Forces, members within the meaning of the MRCA, or their dependants;
the Repatriation Commission or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission; and
a person having expertise in a field relevant to the investigation.
The Authority will hold its first meeting for the purposes of this investigation on 7 June 2022.
Persons and organisations wishing to make a submission can use the RMA website http://www.rma.gov.au/investigations/ to electronically lodge the submission and supporting information. Alternatively, submissions can be sent by email to info@rma.gov.au or posted to the address below. The RMA Submission Guidelines are available online for guidance. The RMA Secretariat may be contacted at the address, telephone number or email address below for further assistance.
All submissions must be in writing and received by the Authority no later than 20 May 2022.
The Common Seal of the ) Repatriation Medical Authority ) was affixed at the direction of: ) | |
| PROFESSOR TERENCE CAMPBELL AM CHAIRPERSON 29 / 4 / 2022 |
Overview
The Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament, was introduced to provide pensions and other benefits to veterans and their families. The Act was intended to address the need for financial and medical support for individuals who have served in the Australian Defence Force and their dependents. Section 196G of the Act, as highlighted in the recent Gazette, C2022G00399, illustrates the ongoing commitment to review and address health issues that may affect veterans, such as allergic contact dermatitis. The Repatriation Medical Authority, as the enacting body, aims to investigate the relationship between sensitising exposure to allergens and allergic contact dermatitis in the context of Statements of Principles Instrument Nos. 1 & 2 of 2021. This investigation seeks to ensure that the needs of veterans are comprehensively understood and addressed through informed policy and medical authority decisions.
Scope and Application
Section 196G of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) pertains to an investigation regarding the connection between sensitising exposure to an allergen and allergic contact dermatitis, particularly in the context of Statements of Principles Instrument Nos. 1 & 2 of 2021. The Repatriation Medical Authority (the Authority) intends to carry out this investigation to explore the extent to which such exposure may be considered a factor in allergic contact dermatitis among eligible veterans and other relevant parties. The Authority invites written submissions from individuals eligible for a pension or compensation under the VEA or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA), organisations representing veterans and their dependents, the Repatriation Commission or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission, and experts in relevant fields. Submissions must be received by the Authority no later than 20 May 2022 and can be lodged electronically through the RMA website, by email, or by post. This investigation applies to the Commonwealth of Australia and is aimed at ensuring that relevant veterans and their representatives have the opportunity to contribute to the inquiry.
Key Provisions
The notice issued by the Repatriation Medical Authority (the Authority) under section 196G of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA) (section 196G) indicates that the Authority intends to investigate the role of sensitising exposure to an allergen as a contributing factor in allergic contact dermatitis. This investigation will be conducted in relation to Statements of Principles Instrument Nos. 1 and 2 of 2021, which pertain to allergic contact dermatitis (subsection 196B(7A) of the VEA). Specifically, the Authority is inviting submissions from various stakeholders, including individuals eligible for a pension under Part II or Part IV of the VEA, those eligible for compensation under section 319 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA), organisations representing veterans and their dependants, the Repatriation Commission or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission, and individuals with relevant expertise (section 196G).
The obligations placed on the parties and entities governed by this Act include the requirement to submit written submissions to the Authority by 20 May 2022. Submissions can be lodged electronically via the RMA website (http://www.rma.gov.au/investigations/), by email to info@rma.gov.au, or by post to the address provided in the notice. The Authority also offers RMA Submission Guidelines to assist in the preparation of these submissions. It is essential that all submissions are in writing and are received by the specified deadline to be considered in the investigation (section 196G).
The notice does not explicitly state any offences, penalties, or civil or criminal consequences for failure to comply with the submission requirements. However, the importance of adhering to the guidelines and the deadline suggests that non-compliance could impact the ability of the Authority to consider the submissions in the investigation. Further, the authority and scope of the investigation indicate the significance of the submissions in informing the Authority's decision-making process regarding the role of allergen exposure in allergic contact dermatitis (section 196G).