Laws governing how military veterans are compensated after their service will be overhauled, as new figures reveal the backlog of claims waiting to be processed has worsened.
Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh announced on Thursday plans were under way to consolidate the various laws into one, to provide a simpler pathway for veterans and their families to have claims processed.
The government's consultation on the legal overhaul forms part of its response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide's interim report.
All benefits under existing schemes will continue unaffected, with only fresh claims or claims relating to deteriorated conditions to be covered by the new laws.
"The proposed pathway seeks to reform more than a century of veterans' entitlement legislation, providing veterans the support they not only need but deserve," Mr Keogh said.
Asked about the claims backlog, he said the government was "turning a corner," with 42,641 claims yet to be processed at the end of January, an increase of several hundred.
He said staff going on leave over the Christmas period had resulted in an uptick but admitted the backlog had not been cleared.
"That's why we're engaging additional staff to get through that backlog and we're still on track, based on our projections, to be able to clear it in the time that the royal commission sought in its recommendations," he said.
RSL president Greg Melick said the new legislation should introduce a cohesive approach, with the end goal being a reduced backlog.
"The government's commitment to consult with the veteran community which is also welcomed, must be extensive, collaborative and continual," he said.
Asked about health professionals refusing to take on veteran patients for treatment because of the fee paid by the government, Mr Keogh described the reports as "really disappointing".
"We encourage veterans where they're experiencing these sorts of problems to contact the department because we can direct them to specialists and GPs and other medical practitioners that are willing to accept the white card and the gold card and to make sure they can get the service that they need," he said.
Opposition veterans' affairs spokesman Barnaby Joyce said he supported the streamlining of the legislation, labelling it a common sense approach.
But he blasted the government for the increase in the backlog.
"They said they'd start fixing it - well, they haven't. It's gone backwards," he said.
Mr Keogh said he would travel across the country to speak with veterans organisations and former personnel to consult on the design of the new act.
He said there wasn't a timetable or cut off date for the consultation period because the government wanted to get it right.
People could go to the Department of Veterans' Affairs website to submit feedback until the middle of May, with the possibility of this being extended, the minister said.
The legislation will roll other acts into the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act.
