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MEDIA RELEASE: Minister Keogh - Review into Victoria Cross entitlements

Department of Veterans' Affairs

OFFICIAL

 

THE HON MATT KEOGH MP

Minister for VETERANS’ AFFAIRS

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL

 

MEDIA RELEASE

21 MAY 2026

REVIEW INTO VICTORIA CROSS ENTITLEMENTS

The Albanese Government will conduct an Independent Review of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Guidelines on Victoria Cross and Victoria Cross for Australia recipient travel entitlements.

The Victoria Cross is Australia’s pre-eminent award for acts of bravery in wartime and our highest military honour. Victoria Cross recipients receive an annual allowance and supported travel. This allowance is set out in statute and does not transfer to a deceased veterans’ dependents or family members upon their death.

The travel entitlements a Victoria Cross recipient receives from Government are set out in Departmental Guidelines and enable Victoria Cross recipients to attend events and activities that contribute to commemoration and for the recipient to share their first hand experiences. Under the Guidelines the spouse of a Victoria Cross recipient may access half of the travel entitlement for a year after the death of the recipient.

This review responds to wide ranging feedback from the veteran community since 2022 on whether the current eligibility Guidelines and the operation of these are fit for purpose. The current Guidelines were last reviewed in 2019.

While this review to contemporise arrangements is underway, current Guidelines and related individual arrangements will continue.

MEDIA CONTACT:

DVA Media: [email protected]