Dunlop v Repatriation Commission [2002] FCA 1400

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Dunlop v Repatriation Commission [2002] FCA 1400

VETERANS' ENTITLEMENTS – appeal from Administrative Appeals Tribunal affirming decision of Repatriation Commission – claim by widow of veteran for pension – entitlement – whether veteran's death by suicide "war-caused" – reasonable hypothesis – whether hypothesis connecting veteran's death with war service reasonable – whether there was in fact any material pointing to a reasonable hypothesis – whether Tribunal erred in finding no reasonable hypothesis existed – veteran's depression found by Tribunal to have no causal connection with war service – application of Statement of Principles – whether Tribunal placed an evidentiary onus on widow, or misapplied s 119 of Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth) – whether Tribunal failed to distinguish "operational service" from "eligible war service" – whether Tribunal erred in application of principles in Repatriation Commission v Deledio (1998) 83 FCR 82 – adequacy of Tribunal's reasons Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth) ss 8(1), 9(1), 119, 120, 120A Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act (1975) s 43(2B)

East v Repatriation Commission (1987) 16 FCR 517 Repatriation Commission v Bey (1997) 79 FCR 364 Repatriation Commission v Deledio (1998) 83 FCR 82 Connors v Repatriation Commission [2000] 59 ALD 61 Repatriation Commission v McKenna (1998) 28 AAR 7 Bushell v Repatriation Commission (1992) 175 CLR 408 Repatriation Commission v Stares (1996) 66 FCR 594 Byrnes v Repatriation Commission (1993) 177 CLR 564 Repatriation Commission v Webb (1998) 51 ALD 575 Grundman v Repatriation Commission (2001) 66 ALD 125 Repatriation Commission v Keeley (2000) 98 FCR 108 Gorton v Repatriation Commission (2001) 63 ALD 723 Repatriation Commission v Gosewinckel (1999) 59 ALD 690 Repatriation Commission v Whetton (1991) 31 FCR 513 East v Repatriation Commission (1987) 16 FCR 517 Hill v Repatriation Commission (2001) 66 ALD 293 Repatriation Commission v Hill [2002] FCAFC 192 Bull v Repatriation Commission (2001) 188 ALR 756