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  • Get support
    The support you may be able to get depends on your circumstances.
    Currently serving
    While serving, the NZDF will take care of your health and wellbeing issues. If you have qualifying service, we may be able to provide you with home help. Register now with Veterans’ Affairs, and when you need some support, we’ll be ready to help you.
    Ex-serving
    We can provide you with health, rehabilitation and financial support if you have a condition related to your service. We can also provide home help assistance and financial support for you to commemorate your service.
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    Non-military personnel
    Non-military personnel can have Qualifying Operational Service in certain circumstances.
    A-Z list of services and entitlements
    View all of the services and entitlements available to qualifying veterans and their family and whānau.
  • Remembrance
    We're proud to honour the service of the veteran community.
    Services Cemeteries and plaques and headstones
    We help look after Services Cemeteries. We're also able to contribute towards plaques and headstones.
    Commemorative funding
    There are two types of financial contributions available from the Commemorative Fund.
    Medals and service records
    The NZ Defence Force's Personnel Archives and Medals team ​administer medals and hold most New Zealand military service records.
    ​When someone dies
    We may be able to provide support when someone who had Qualifying Service dies.
    Your family's military history
    Learning more about your family's military history is a great way to honour their service.
    Certificate of Appreciation and Veterans' Pins
    The Certificate of Appreciation and Veteran's Pin recognise operational service.
    NZ Post Stamps
    This series of stamps explores the stories of 6 veterans deployed after 1995. You can purchase the stamps on the NZ Post website.
  • Eligibility
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    Check your eligibility
    Check the support, services, or entitlements you may be able to get from us.
    Qualifying Service
    To get support from us you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.
    Living outside NZ
    You can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.
    Eligibility criteria for family and dependants
    You may be able to get support if you're the spouse, partner, child or dependant of someone with Qualifying Service.
    Veterans of foreign militaries
    Veterans' Affairs New Zealand was established to support New Zealand veterans.
  • For clients
    We put veterans and our clients at the heart of everything we do.
    If you have a question at any stage, please contact us — we're here to help.
    How we'll work with you
    We'll work with you to help you get the best support available.
    Your treatment card
    Your treatment card helps you get no-cost treatment and medication for your approved conditions.
    Veteran Card
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    ​We want to make sure you have the best possible experience when you deal with us.
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    Information on payment rates and dates.
    How we make decisions
    We use a number of tools and processes to make decisions. This helps ensure each decision we make is fair and treats our clients consistently.​
    Living outside NZ
    You can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.
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    You may be able to access a range of discounts and benefits. Not only that, your family may get access too.
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    Information on processing times, how to make a claim, and what happens next.
  • For providers
    Information for providers of services to Veterans' Affairs and our clients.
    Treatment cards and letters
    To help you identify our clients, we issue treatment cards and letters.
    Invoicing us
    How to invoice us to ensure we pay you quickly and correctly.
    Treating our clients
    Information for healthcare professionals providing treatment to our clients.
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    Guidance for councils and local authorities relating to services cemeteries and memorials
    Forms
    Forms for our clients, family and whānau, and our providers.
    Audiologists
    Schedules of fees, invoicing and application instructions, and information for treating hearing needs.
    How military service affects the health of veterans
    Veterans can experience physical and mental health conditions disproportionately compared to the general public. Different NZDF 'operations' may be linked to higher rates of specific conditions. Understanding a veteran's service can help you to understand their health.
Check Your Eligibility
Check Your Eligibility
Home / About Veterans' Affairs / Our people /

Our people

Our people

Meet our Minister, leadership, and the teams that make up Veterans' Affairs.

Our Minister

A headshot of Chris Penk wearing a suit

Hon Chris Penk

The Minister for Veterans is the Hon Chris Penk.

Visit their profile on Beehive.govt.nz(external link)

The Minister's responsibilities include:

  • declaring operations as Qualifying Operational Service, and
  • appointing members to three advisory and appeal bodies.

Recent releases and speeches by the Minister for Veterans(external link)

View our Briefings to Incoming Ministers

Our leadership team

Alexander Brunt, Acting Head of Veterans' Affairs

Alexander Brunt

Alex is the Acting Head of Veterans' Affairs New Zealand, having commenced as Deputy Head of VA in 2023. 

Before starting at VA, Alex was Deputy Chief Executive Policy, Data and Insights at the Social Investment Agency and Deputy Secretary Evidence, Data and Knowledge at the Ministry of Education.

Alex has held various senior leadership roles across the public and private sectors, including working in health, local government and sport and recreation. He is a former Director/Chairperson of Skills Active, Qualworx, Outdoors New Zealand and the Riverslea Lodge Trust Board.

Alex holds a Master of Management with distinction from Massey University, a Bachelor of Arts with honours from Victoria University of Wellington and a Bachelor of Theology from Otago University. He has completed executive education at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the company directors’ course with the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Alex is an ordained Anglican Minister who lives in Wellington with his three children. He considers it an honour to work at Veterans' Affairs and to support those who have put themselves at risk to serve New Zealand.

Other members of the Veterans' Affairs Senior Leadership Team

Name Role
Elaine Myers-Davies Acting Deputy Head of Veterans' Affairs
Michelle Williams Manager Veterans' Services
Rhonda Lin Senior Financial Advisor
Phil Bilbrough Acting Manager Projects & Communications
Jo Elworthy Principal Advisor to the Head of Veterans' Affairs
Richard Johnston Manager of Business Systems
Shakila Davies Manager of Decisions and Entitlements
David Jahnke Manager of Business Services

About Veterans' Affairs

Last Modified: 3 December 2024
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