The Hon Darren Chester MP
Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Minister

I am pleased to present the annual report of the Department of Veterans' Affairs for the 2018–19 financial year. This report has been prepared in accordance with all applicable obligations of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 including section 46, which requires that you table the report in Parliament.

As required by section 10 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014, I certify that:

• fraud risk assessments and fraud control plans have been prepared for the department
• appropriate mechanisms for preventing, detecting incidents of, investigating or otherwise dealing with, and reporting and recording fraud are in place for the department
• all reasonable measures have been taken to appropriately deal with fraud relating to the department.

The report also contains material on the operations of the Defence Service Homes Insurance Scheme, as required under section 50B of the Defence Service Homes Act 1981, and the Office of Australian War Graves, as required under section 13(1) of the War Graves Act 1980. Annual reports on the operation of other entities that fall within your portfolio will be submitted to you by the relevant accountable authority.

The report also includes information on the data-matching program in the department, in accordance with section 12 of the Data-matching Program (Assistance and Tax) Act 1990. The department works closely with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to ensure that the program strictly adheres to privacy safeguards and principles.

Yours sincerely

Signed by:

Liz Cosson AM CSC
Secretary
28 September 2019