Current health preparation arrangements for the deployment
of Australian Defence Forces overseas
Terms of reference
On 19 June 2003, the Senate has referred the following matters to the
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee. On 17 June
2004, the Committee sought and the Senate subsequently agreed to an
extension of time to report to 5 August 2004.
(1) That the following
matters be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References
Committee for inquiry and report:
(a) the adequacy of current arrangements within the Department of Defence
for the health preparation for the deployment of the Australian Defence
Forces (ADF) overseas;
(b) the adequacy of
record keeping of individual health and treatment episodes of those
deployed, and access to those records by the individual;
(c) the adequacy of
information provided to individual ADF members, pre-deployment, of the
likely health risks and anticipated remedial activity required;
(d) the adequacy of
current arrangements for the administration of preventive vaccinations,
standards applied to drug selection, quality control, record keeping
and the regard given to accepted international and national regulation
and practice;
(e) the engagement
in this process of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Repatriation
Medical Authority for the purposes of administering and assessing compensation
claims; and
(f) the adequacy of
the current research effort focussing on outstanding issues of contention
from the ex-service community with respect to health outcomes from past
deployments, and the means by which it might be improved.
(2) That, in undertaking the inquiry, the committee consider recommendations
for an improved system within the Defence and Veterans administrations
which will give greater assurance to the individual that their health risks
are minimised, and fully recorded for the purposes of future compensation
where justified.
Submissions
The Committee invites individuals and organisations with knowledge and
information relevant to the inquiry's terms of reference to lodge submissions
by Thursday, 4 December 2003 with:
All communications with the Committee and its
Secretariat are protected by parliamentary privilege. It is expected that submissions will
be published unless clearly marked as confidential. Persons making submissions must not
disclose them without the prior approval of the Committee. Submissions are covered by
parliamentary privilege but the unauthorised release of them is not.
The Committee encourages the lodgement of submissions in
electronic form. E-mailed submissions must include the author's full name, phone number
and postal address.
Notes to assist with the preparation of submissions
Submissions received
Public Hearings
Answers to Questions on Notice
26 February 2004 - Regular Defence Force Welfare Association
Inc
26 February 2004 - Department of Defence
Answers to written Questions on Notice
26 February 2004 - Department of Veterans'
Affairs
26 February 2004 - Department of Defence
Inquiry Membership
Senator Steve Hutchins (Chair), ALP NSW
Senator Sandy Macdonald (Deputy Chair), NP NSW
Senator Mark Bishop, ALP WA
Senator John Hogg, ALP Qld
Senator David Johnston, LIB WA
Senator Andrew Bartlett, DEM Qld
Click here for full list of Committee membership
Report - Tabled 12 August 2004
Government response (PDF 1076KB)
For further information
The Secretariat
Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee
Suite S1.57
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
AUSTRALIA
Ms Saxon Patience, A/g Secretary
Phone:(61+2) 6277 3538
Fax: (61+2) 6277 5818
Email: fadt.sen@aph.gov.au
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