James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Certainly. The primary focus of rehabilitation under Comcare is to arrange an employee's return to work as quickly as possible after a work-related injury or disease. While the arrangements include restoring the individual's social as well as vocational status, this is considered within an employee's workplace setting. As former members of the ADF, DVA clients often have different needs from the typical Comcare rehabilitation client who is returning to work. Their ADF employment not only gave them an income and meaningful work, it also provided housing, health care, recreational facilities, social networks, training, and a structured career path.

The impact of military life means the families of DVA clients also have complex needs. A DVA client's rehabilitation plan also addresses the family's requirements, in addition to the client's needs. For all these reasons, and others, there's a belief in the government that the treatment of ADF members using guidelines designed for public servants is not desirable.