Spending on veteran compensation and health payments has grown by $5 billion in the past four years, as advocates warn new savings measures in the federal budget risk undermining overall well-being.
The Albanese government has increased funding for income support, health care and other services for veterans every year since it took office in 2022, with the annual cost coming in at $15 billion for the 2025/26 financial year.
The substantial uptick in funding was driven in part by efforts to clear the massive backlog of 42,000 claims to the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA).
The timely processing of claims was among the recommendations by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide that the government has acted on.
Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the state of support funding for the nation's ex-service personnel was a "disgrace" when Labor assumed office.
