List of recommendations
Recommendation 1
5.23The committee recommends that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs explore potential legislative action to curb harmful and deceptive business practices in the commercial veterans’ advocacy sector, including but not limited to the imposition of fee caps.
Recommendation 2
5.24The committee recommends that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Department of Defence initiate a targeted public education and awareness campaign to better inform current and former Australian Defence Force personnel of the potential risks of engaging commercial, fee-for-service veterans’ advocates.
Recommendation 3
5.25The committee recommends that the Australian Government explore measures to require transparency in advertising and service agreements from all entities offering veterans’ advocacy.
Recommendation 4
5.26The committee recommends that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs investigate solutions to address the specific national security and personal privacy risks posed by offshore commercial advocacy providers and offshore data handling.
Recommendation 5
5.33The committee recommends the establishment of a National Veterans’ Legal Service based on the former Defence and Veterans’ Legal Service and current Veterans’ Advocacy Service run through Legal Aid New South Wales, and funded through the National Access to Justice Partnership.
Recommendation 6
5.34The committee recommends the Australian Government implement Recommendation 99 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide as a matter of urgency.
Recommendation 7
5.50The committee recommends that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs work closely with the Institute of Veterans Advocacy (IVA) as it becomes operational to ensure that it provides effective professional oversight and regulation of the veterans’ advocacy sector. As part of this, the Australian Government should provide sufficient funding to the IVA to ensure its financial viability and consider how elements of the Office of the Migration Agents Regulation Authority could be usefully applied to the IVA and the regulation of the veterans’ advocacy sector.
5.51After two years of operation, the Australian Government should formally evaluate the effectiveness and financial viability of the IVA.