A damning report by McKinsey consultants, commissioned by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), catalogues staff shortages and significant delays in processing compensation claims
The report shows there's a backlog of about 37,000 applications.
The new Minister for Veterans Affairs Matt Keogh is promising to speed up the processing of compensation claims lodged by Australia's servicemen and women, by hiring another 500 staff at the department.
Some readers may find details in this story distressing.
Deborah Morris is a military researcher and veterans advocate who made a compensation claim through the Department of Veterans Affairs six-and-a-half years ago.
Her application has still not been resolved.
She alleges she was raped by a superior soon after she started her service in 2002.
Ms Morris said it was not just the long delay in processing the claim that had affected her, but the way in which the Department of Veterans Affairs had handled the matter.
"There is the application of wrong law, there is significant amounts of privacy breaches from the department, there is also a loss of significant procedural fairness time and time again," she said.
"Now, this is not welfare for somebody that served. This is worker's compensation legislation for injuries that have occurred in connection to your workplace."
The Department of Veterans Affairs told Ms Morris her claim has not been processed yet because the legislation is complex.
But Ms Morris feels that explanation is inadequate.
"The legislation has been out for at least 20 years," she said.
Report revealed after ABC FOI request
The ABC gained a copy of the $1.6 million report through a Freedom of Information request.
Alan Ashmore, who served in Vietnam and advocates on behalf of his fellow veterans, had tried to get a copy of the report through Freedom of Information for months, but was knocked back.
After the ABC's The World Today program got a copy of the report, Mr Keogh, ordered it be posted on the DVA website.
He has put the blame for the delays on the Morrison government.
He said the Albanese government was committed to clearing the claims backlog and would employ another 500 staff at the department.
"We are turning a new leaf here and we want to get on with implementing what can be implemented out of that report as soon as we can."
Calls for Royal Commission to examine report
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide is investigating whether DVA's delays in processing compensation claims could be a factor in some deaths. The McKinsey report was tendered in evidence to the Royal Commission in February.
Mr Keogh said anything that placed additional pressure on veterans should be addressed.
"If we can alleviate and bring down that pressure by having these claims processed as quickly as possible, that's really important," he said.
Veterans lawyer and former army officer Glenn Kolomeitz said it was "critical" that the royal commission saw and interrogated the document.
"Anything which goes to the DVA processing of claims and the appeals processes and the enormous delays and backlogs must be looked at — as to its contribution or otherwise to suicidal ideation, or suicide of a veteran," he said.
"And it's exacerbated by the fact that DVA makes ongoing, high-impact errors in their decision-making, which then further drags on the process."
Mr Ashmore said he would be watching to make sure Australians who served their country got the compensation they deserved.
"I'm 74 now, I want to get on with my life, but I'm like a lot of other veteran advocates — we are not prepared to sit back and see our mates done over."
