EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Veterans' Entitlements (Vehicle Assistance Scheme – Increased Assistance) Instrument 10/2003
The purpose of the attached Instrument is to increase the amount of financial assistance the Repatriation Commission may provide to eligible veterans for the purchase of motor vehicles.
Section 105 of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) enables the Repatriation Commission (Commission) to make a Scheme for the provision of motor vehicles to eligible veterans and for the payment of the cost of running and maintaining those vehicles.
The Commission made the Vehicle Assistance Scheme on
17 September 1997. It was approved by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs on 1 October 1997 and commenced operation on
1 November 1997.
Under the Vehicle Assistance Scheme (VAS) the Commission may, among other things, grant financial assistance to an eligible veteran to purchase a motor vehicle (initial vehicle) and, after two years, grant financial assistance to the veteran to purchase a replacement vehicle for that initial vehicle.
Generally speaking, an eligible veteran for the purposes of VAS is a veteran who is seriously incapacitated due to a war caused injury to a limb or due to a limb being affected by a war caused disease.
The Commission decided to increase the maximum amount of financial assistance available to eligible veterans for the purchase of motor vehicles under the Scheme as follows:
Maximum Financial Assistance to Purchase an Initial Motor Vehicle
Former Amount $31, 923
New Amount $39, 810
Maximum Financial Assistance to Purchase a Replacement Motor Vehicle
Former Amount $16,000
New Amount $19,905
The attached Instrument implements the Commission’s decision by making the appropriate variations to the Vehicle Assistance Scheme.
The attached Instrument is made under subsection 105(2) of the VEA.
The VEA does not specify any conditions that need to be met before an Instrument may be made under subsection 105(2) of that Act.
The Instrument does not affect the rights of any person so as to disadvantage that person nor does it impose liabilities on any person other than on the Repatriation Commission and the Commonwealth.
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REPATRIATION COMMISSION