Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand is the Government’s principal adviser on veterans’ issues. Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand is responsible for providing advice on, and facilitating the delivery of, a range of services to individual veterans and their families, in recognition of the needs generated as a result of the veteran’s service. To achieve this intent, Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand is responsible for the delivery of a wide range of services.
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand does this by:
- providing advice to the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs and other Ministers and departments and agencies on aspects of policy relating to veterans;
- managing the government’s relationship with veterans and their representative organisations;
- ensuring that the assessment of veterans’ entitlements is undertaken fairly and accurately; and
- facilitating and co-ordinating the services provided to veterans and their families by other government departments and agencies.
The Veterans’ Affairs portfolio comprises two appropriations under one Vote:
- Vote Veterans’ Affairs – Defence. This vote is administered by Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand and includes the provision of policy advice on, and administration of, a wide range of issues relating to veteran entitlements care and recognition.
- Vote Veterans’ Affairs - Social Development. This vote is administered by the Ministry of Social Development, and includes the processing and payment of War Disablement and Veterans’ Pensions and concessions, and Rehabilitation Loan Scheme payments. This vote will be covered in the Ministry of Social Development Annual Report to Parliament.
Accountability Arrangements
The Chief of Defence Force, as Chief Executive of the New Zealand Defence Force, is responsible to the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs for the financial management of Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand under the Public Finance Act 1989. The Director, Veterans’ Affairs, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Force, is responsible to the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs for the delivery of the Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand outcomes and outputs.
As a semi-autonomous body within the New Zealand Defence Force during the reporting period, Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand is subject to the accountability and monitoring provisions of the Public Finance Act 1989 but does not come under the auspices of the State Sector Act 1988.1
Primary Legislation
The primary legislation associated with Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand is contained in the:
- War Pensions Act 1954;
- Burial and Cremation Act 1954;
- Patriotic and Canteen Funds Act 1947;
- Veterans’ Affairs Act 1999; and
- Defence Act 1990
Links with the Government’s Policy and Themes
The provision of specific services to veterans, in recognition of their contribution to the development of New Zealand’s national identity, contributes to Government Theme 3: “National Identity”.
The provision of policy advice on veterans’ related issues, the co-ordination of the services provided to veterans and their families by other government departments and agencies, facilitating access to services within the broader community and the development of constructive working relationships with veterans’ organisations, contributes to Government Theme 2: “Families – young and old”.
The work undertaken by Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand contributes to achieving the following outcomes for veterans:
- The veterans’ perspective is considered as part of government decision-making on issues that impact on their lives.
- Eligible veterans and their dependants have access to the appropriate services in recognition of their Service.
- The community will be aware of the role veterans played and continue to play in developing New Zealand as a nation.
Contracts for Service
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand maintains a number of contracts for the manufacture and installation of plaques and headstones, the maintenance and development of Services Cemeteries throughout New Zealand, and the provision of services under the auspices of case management.
Outcomes: Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand
The specific initiatives addressed within the Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand outcomes for 2007/2008 are reported below.
The veterans’ perspective is considered as part of government decision – making on issues that impact on their lives.
The veteran community is diverse and has a broad range of issues that cross the boundaries of a number of agencies. It is critical therefore, that Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand is able to work effectively with other state sector agencies to ensure that issues that are of concern to veterans can be pursued and there is consultation on issues that may impact on the veteran community.
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand is included in the Ministry of Health’s consultation process on the health of the elderly and the sustainability of disability support services. Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand is also a member of the organochlorines2 monitoring group.
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand has also been included in a number of cross sector working groups and forums.
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand works closely with, and is actively involved in, a collaborative grouping of veterans’ affairs agencies from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and United States of America. This forum provides a number of opportunities to share information and current practices.
Eligible veterans and their dependants have access to the appropriate services in recognition of their Service.
A major piece of work is the rewrite of the War Pensions Act 1954. Cabinet decided this project was best led by the Law Commission and Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand has provided a staff member to assist the Law Commission with the project.
The Secretary for War Pensions reviews 10% of the decisions made by the War Pensions Claims Panels to ensure consistency of decision making. Any issues identified as a result of this process are addressed by the Secretary and form part of the claims panel’s training process. Any veteran with any query relating to a War Disablement or Veterans’ Pension can raise the query with the Secretary for War Pensions.
In December 2007 the Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association and Ex Vietnam Services Association to address the concerns of Vietnam veterans. This has involved Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand in the:
- development and implementation of a registration process for Vietnam veterans and their families;
- implementation of system for the payment of ex-gratia payments to veterans and their family members who have medical condition specified in the MOU;
- development of a structure for the delivery of one-off comprehensive medical check and the promotion of those medical checks;
- development of terms of reference for a panel of experts to provide advice on the application of international research into veterans issues in the New Zealand context; and
- development of options for the implementation of centres of excellence in Veterans Homes.
Another major piece of work was the machinery of government review undertaken by an officials group lead by the State Services Commission. As a result, a new structure for Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand was implemented. The new structure involved the incorporation of the Ministry of Social Development’s War Pension Services unit with Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand. At the time of writing, the newly formed Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand lost its semi-autonomous status and became a business unit of the NZDF from 1 July 2008.
Work was undertaken with the Ministry of Social Development over the introduction of the veterans’ version of the SuperGold Card. A veteran’s version of the SuperGold Card was released in late August 2007. The card has been distributed to over 18,000 veterans.
Work has also commenced on a veterans card for veterans who are under 65.
The operational policy surrounding Services Cemeteries is being reviewed constantly to ensure that it accurately reflects the intent of the legislation. A new database to allow for more effective management of orders and special requirements, such as unveilings and other special events has been implemented.
Work has also been undertaken to transfer the capital works programme for Services Cemeteries onto a five year programme so that both Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand and local authorities can begin to plan for the long term development of cemeteries.
The community will be aware of the role veterans played and continue to play in developing New Zealand as a nation.
A commemoration was held in Gallipoli in April 2008 to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the Gallipoli Landings.
VANZ assisted with the co-ordination of the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs trip to Merdeka Day in Malaysia during August 2007. This involved the Minister meeting up with the veterans who had received money from the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs Commemoration Fund to attend the Merdeka Day commemorations.
In September 2007, VANZ lead a veteran group to the commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele. The group took part in the events planned by the Belgian local authorities in the area. All the veterans had family members who were involved in the Battles on the Western Front.
VANZ co-ordinated a veteran group as part of the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in February 2008.
VANZ also co-ordinated the veteran group for the dedication of the statue of the New Zealand Soldier on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge in April 2008.
In addition, Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand administers funding for veterans’ groups to hold reunions and to allow veterans to undertake battlefield revisits. In the 2007/08 year, funding was provided to 152 veterans to assist them to travel overseas to attend commemorations of events or reunions of the units of which they were a part, and which had special significance to them. Veterans were funded to travel to commemorations marking the 50th anniversary of ‘Merdeka’ - the independence of the Federated States of Malaya and the State of Singapore from Britain, Battle of Coral and Balmoral, the Korean War, battle field tour of Vietnam, and the commemoration of the role of 3rd Div in New Caledonia.
Funding was also been provided to four groups to assist with the organisation of New Zealand based events and reunions.
VANZ was also involved in the organisation of the New Zealand involvement in the Last Post Essay competition. This competition is for students in their last year of secondary school. The two Belgium winners travelled to New Zealand in July 2007. The New Zealand winner visited Belgium in September 2007 and attended the commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele.
Notes
1As the result of a recent review, the newly formed Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand lost its semi-autonomous status and became a business unit of the NZDF from 1 July 2008.
2Any of various hydrocarbon pesticides that contain chloride.
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