Portfolio — 25 May 2026

Minister for Veterans' Affairs Matt Keogh used question time on 25 May to detail the centrepiece veterans' health measure in the budget: a $169.7 million boost to allied health provider fees, described as the largest increase in twenty years, with funding commencing in July 2027 [TA-260525-house-43807c883b19:s223]. The headline rate change raises the physiotherapy service fee from $75.10 to $110, a move the Minister framed as enabling veterans to access better-quality care [TA-260525-house-43807c883b19:s223].

Alongside the fee uplift, the policy introduces a $5,000 treatment-cycle limit and removes the longstanding requirement for veterans to return to a GP after every 12 allied health sessions — a structural change that reduces administrative friction for patients in ongoing treatment. The policy also preserves a clinical override: veterans with genuine clinical need can exceed the $5,000 limit, signalling an intent to contain costs without imposing a hard cap on those with complex conditions.

Taken together, the measures reflect a portfolio approach centred on expanding allied health access and lifting provider payment rates to levels that attract and retain practitioners in the veteran health system.