Specialist Medical Review Council Notification of Intention to Carry out a Review for Blast Induced Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

SPECIALIST MEDICAL REVIEW COUNCIL

 NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION TO CARRY OUT A REVIEW FOR BLAST INDUCED MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

Section 196ZB

The Specialist Medical Review Council (the Council) has been asked under section 196Y of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the Act) to review the 15 August 2025 declaration of the RMA that it does not propose to make a Statement of Principles concerning blast induced mild traumatic brain injury for the purposes of subsection 196B(2) or (3) of the Act.

The Council gives notice under section 196ZB of the Act that it intends to carry out a review under section 196W of the Act of all the information available to the RMA when it made the 15 August 2025 declaration concerning blast induced mild traumatic brain injury.

The following persons or organisations are invited to make written submissions to the Council:

• The Repatriation Commission
• The Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission
• A person eligible to make a claim for a pension under Part II or IV of the Act
• A person eligible to make a claim for compensation under section 319 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004; and
• An organisation representing veterans, Australian Mariners, members of the Forces, members of Peacekeeping Forces or their dependants.

Written submissions must be received by 18 December 2025.

The Council will hold its first meeting for the purposes of this review after 18 December 2025. The location, date and time of the meeting for the hearing of oral submissions complementing written submissions will be advised to the persons/organisations that have asked for the review under section 196Y of the Act and those persons and organisations that make written submissions.

For advice on the preparation of written submissions contact the Council Secretariat at SMRC.Registrar@smrc.gov.au, or via the website www.smrc.gov.au. Submissions should be lodged with the Council Secretariat, PO Box 965, Brisbane, QLD 4001 or SMRC.Registrar@smrc.gov.au