New boss to “clean up DVA’s shambles”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the appointment of Alison Frame as the new Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, replacing Liz Cosson after Christmas.
FILE PHOTOS: Alison Frame (left) will take over as Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs from incumbent Liz Cosson in January 2023.
Ms Frame comes from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where she has been in the role of Deputy Secretary, Social Policy.
She has been a senior public servant for both the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments in a range of service-delivery and policy roles.
Mr Albanese said Ms Frame brought significant experience working with stakeholders and leading staff to deliver positive outcomes for the community.
“Ms Frame’s five-year appointment will commence on 23 January 2023,” he said.
“I congratulate Alison on the appointment and look forward to working with her in this new capacity.
“I also thank Elizabeth Cosson for her service as Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs since May 2018.
“She has been a passionate advocate for improving services for veterans and their families.”
According to her own LinkedIn profile, Alison Frame has 21 years of public sector experience, 16 years at the senior executive level, in both the NSW and Australian Public Service, with a breadth of roles in strategy, change management and service delivery across the human services and planning systems.
Senator Jacqui Lambie – never a fan of current Secretary Liz Cosson – posted a celebratory “Bye Liz” on her Facebook page, commenting “Let’s hope the new Secretary cleans up DVA’s shambles”.
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DVA dysfunction is engineered — AND — DVA Desk-Murder is real.
The targeting, exploitation and exhaustion (claim management) systems of DVA are man made. They are ‘systems’ manufactured, refined and expanded upon by a carousel of Canberra lawyers and bureaucrats i.e. the true hub of DVA Client (DVAC) veteran suicidality, which involves (a) suicidal ideation, (b) planning, (b) attempts and (c) deaths.
DVA staff and lawyers have created this ‘complexity’ over many decades. DVA’s “Not Fit For Purpose” status has evolved through an accretion process i.e. DVA shit poured on top of more and more ‘DVA Shit’ by armies of lawyers and bureaucraps long gone.
DVA currently:
is using the Royal Commission (i.e. Review No. 57) as camouflage to install old schemes, cons and plans of DVA’s secret in-house law firm to further erode (1) basic veteran specific legislated rights and (2) common law rights e.g. disability discrimination, Human rights, Procedural, Equity, Due process, Evidence standards and other Primary Legislation e.g. The Income Tax Acts and review rights such as the Defective Administration (CDDA) review systems, as a means to legislatively isolate all past, current and future members and prevent veterans accessing not only their repatriation Veteran statutory rights, but also basic common Law rights enjoyed by all other Australians e.g. DVA staff!
These old DVA schemes are concealed behind the latest phrase ‘Simplification and Legislative Harmonisation’ which is another euphemism building upon that other cracker ‘euphemism’ they cooked up a few years earlier i.e. ‘Veteran Centric Reform’ (VCR), which additionally didn’t do anything and if folks are honest, contributed to the need for a Royal Commission.
Hard evidence confirms only two things ever really change with DVA:-
1. the names of those in leadershit roles e.g. Secretary, Minister
and,
2. the marketing labels and one liners (SPIN) manufactured every few years to create the impression of “Change”.
In closing Ian Campbell, Simon Lewis and Liz Cosson could have prevented so much pain and deaths… and this Royal Commission… but made conscious decisions to re-cement the status quo and expand on the systems that kill.
Martin Rollins
29122022-1507hrs
As a DVA client, customer, speed bump, whichever, I have to agree with most comments here. I hope things improve, I won’t hold my breath. Based on my experiences with defence and Labor since Whitlam, not optimistic.
DVA should be staffed and run by professionals with the knowledge, not public servants filling a space. Having said that, many do care. Medical decisions should be based on the treating doctor and confirmation by independent medical opinion, not paid for answers by medical patsy’s on retainer. DVA is a long way off the mark from its origins. Repat hospitals have been sold off and are now run as profit making ventures with veterans, the reason for their existence, nothing more than sources of income. It’s lucky for Australia that the men and women who sign up don’t look too far ahead. Public servants in Australia should look at Defence and Emergency Services to see what “service” means.
Delay and Deny until they Die. It’s the DVA way.
Chaps I am a severely injured very long serving veteran. My medical care and support from DVA has been absolutely first class. Yes it was one hell of a fight to get my situation fully accepted (because they didn’t have an existing SOP or code for the medics repairs and electronic enhancements) but when finally stubbornly through the grinder the support has been very good.
The current/ new Government has promised to enact all of the initial recommendations of the Royal Commission. Compared to the previous regime, that is fabulous news; BUT, we need the work to begin sooner rather than later. There are many issues here, many problems, as some of the comments highlight but nothing NOTHING worse that the ongoing tragedy of ADF suicides.
Yes there also also deep matters such as unemployment, homelessness, PTSD issues, family break ups…
DVA needs to move and move solidly. The various Ministers and Shadow Ministers need to align and work to help veterans and their dependants
Time is crucial
Something like this current establishment removed Veteran’s Affairs from Parliament and replaced it with housing. Was that part of the Commissions report? The current Gov is all smoke and mirrors when it comes to matters of the ADF.
YES, time is critical.
I really believe that DVA has a problem with their system / method of claims. It seems there are too many cooks in the kitchen! Just 4 months ago I submitted a claim for my left eye. I have been paid a small ammount as per the 1970 Regulation. The letter for DVA told me years ago that if any more problems ,I can apply again. The eye is painful and now blind! I submitted the re app and was happy to receive a letter informing me its approved. Two week ago, I asked how it was going? Letter back informing me it had been withdrawn! Politely ,jumped on a few heads,was very lucky to contact a woman who cared! It is now in the system again. I was told by DVA 6 months ago to fill in a DRCA FORM. i SENT COVERING LETTER ,LETTER and photos,They were lost! ALL DVA forms in Australia are said to be ADMINISTRATED IN BRISBANE! They are checked and sent on to the relevent area. It does not work!! A Soldier at the level of Warrant OFFICER could fix their system with a little KISS!!
I applaud the change of Secretary DVA Department but it should be a permanent appointment not for 5 years. We need to return to having a professional Public Service who are not subject to parliamentary time limits which downgrades their right to provide professional advice not subject to appointment time limits or whether the parliament likes the advice which it has the right to accept, reject or amend. That is how the system should properly work.
And you end up with public service “collectives” that deem themselves not accountable as an individual but as a “whole” dept. The public service, DVA included is invested with “not fit for purpose” employees that have a job for “life” should they want. To try and displace a public servant is near on impossible under normal circumstances. The whole of the public service needs to be reevaluated as if it was a “private” organization, then you may see performance levels increase. The DVA head should come from the ADF arena.
Mr Horseman must be dreaming. ADF leadership has been suspect since those who were battle hardened in WW2 died out some 30 years ago. No one becomes a senior leader in the ADF unless approved by the political party in power and look what that has produced in the late 20th, early 21st centuries. Want an example, well good-bye Liz.
DVA has been a shambles long before Liz Cosson took over the role. It seems to be an unwritten law that when a claim lands on the desk of a DVA officer; that it is immediately rejected, and the claimant then has to make the decision to either continue with the claim or just pack it in, because it is to hard. This leads to even more distain for DVA.
Good luck to the incoming Secretary, I hope that you can fix the systemic issues within DVA and make it a better, more easily to navigate process of making a claim.
To re-direct and improve an organisation, as well as a new head there should also be a few new division/department heads and a head kicking deputy.
Some of the road-blocking drones at the coal face should go as well.
About time the DVA portfolio was given to some one who will clean it up,hope that will now happen.
Was a soldier 37 years now retired, but in the early years of retiremnt I had a lot of pain ftom the D V A.
As the Royal Commission rolls on, veterans continue to suffer from PTSD/Anxiety conditions, self harm and in extreme situations, suicide.
Treatments include prescribition drugs (many with identified risks), yet the use of Cannabis oil is still not recognised by DVA.
Its time DVA addressed this omission and offer veterans who have diagnosed mental health conditions and are recommended for the use of cannabis oil, carefully prescribed and monitored. The following sites are noted:
https://www.auscannabisclinics.com.au/medical-marijuana-and-cbd-oil-for-ptsd/
https://www.entoura.com.au/veterans-mental-health-and-medicinal-cannabis/
Ms Fame may wish to review this issue and offer vets a new recognised and effective treatment instead of relying on prescription drugs which are not suitable for all diagnosed with PTSD/Anxiety.
Liz Cosson years ago said she’d resign in a year if she couldn’t fix DVA. Right ……………
Liz Cosson’s has been replaced doesn’t mean Veterans will be better off, but it does mean that maybe, just maybe under the Albanese veterans will be a little better off,
Removing Veterans Affairs Portfolio from Parliament part of us being better off?
If Liz Cosson couldn’t do the job why was she left there? Does this mean the Minister didn’t care. Veterans continue to suffer.