DVA – Centrelink merger? – Furphy?

Following an email-blitz within the veteran community, which was also targeted at all members of parliament, over the past week/weekend, the government has today issued a formal statement to allay fears.

CAPTION: ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Talil, Iraq, 2008. Photo by Brian Hartigan.

Quoting an unnamed insider/whistleblower, the email blitz accused the government of an imminent (tomorrow) plan to merge the Department of Veterans’ Affairs with the Department of Human Services.

Evidence of the merger was said to be in the fact that DVA computer infrastructure was already owned by the Department of Human Services.

There was also accusations that DVA was deliberately hiring muslims who don’t care about veterans.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan today released a statement refuting the accusations.

“The Australian government is committed to a stand-alone Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA),” Mr Tehan said.

“This has been an election commitment by the Coalition over successive elections and remains government policy.

“There are no plans to merge DVA with the Department of Human Services (DHS).

“There is no meeting planned for this week and there is no agreement to be signed in the near future to subsume DVA into DHS.

“DHS manages DVA’s ICT infrastructure under a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in 2011.

“Prior to this agreement DVA’s ICT infrastructure was outsourced to IBM.

“There has been no change to DVA’s recruitment policy.

“DVA continues to recruit in-line with Australian Public Service policy, with a priority on hiring staff who are passionate about supporting veterans.”

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