Information from Veterans Affairs re "Military Veterans Kaupapa Inquiry"
Date: 
Monday, 8 February, 2016

Good evening all.  Tony McLeod, President RNZAA, has asked the following be published for your information.  This email has just been received from Jacqui Couchman, Head of Veterans` Affairs, in response to some of the misinformation circulating on some of the veterans nets.

Subject: Wai 2500: Military Veterans Kaupapa Inquiry unclassified

Kia ora tatou

In response to your various emails received on this topic:

Thank you for your emails.

I would like to assure you that Veterans’ Affairs is not going to be destroying files of current clients of Veterans’ Affairs.

The intent of the proposed schedule for retention and disposal (on which public submissions are currently being sought by Archives NZ) is to set out how Veterans’ Affairs will look after a veteran’s information once he or she is no longer a client of Veterans’ Affairs either because he or she has passed away or because he or she no longer requires assistance from Veterans’ Affairs.

The proposal explains that when a veteran passes away, we will continue to hold all documentation in our off-site facility and/or electronically as normal for a period of 10 years or 7 years after the cancellation of the last pension associated with the veteran.

I would like to assure you any key information which is referred to as ‘meta-data’ will be retained and transferred into the property of Archives New Zealand after these time periods.  This data includes but is not limited to:

•       Name and date of birth
•       Service details
•       Applications for services and entitlements including application type, date, and outcome
•       Details of accepted conditions and disabilities, and which period of service each condition is connected to
•       Percentage of overall impairment and percentage per disability
•       Cause of death & if death was service-related
•       Last known address and next of kin
•       Location of interment if available

This documentation will be held electronically.  If you wish to make a submission on this particular area you may do so through the public submission process by visiting the below webpage.  The public consultation is being undertaken by Archives New Zealand.

http://archives.govt.nz/advice/intentions-dispose/new-zealand-defence-fo....

I hope this will ease any concerns you may have.

Naku noa, na

Jacki Couchman