{"id":"F2025L01622","name":"Statement of Principles concerning animal envenomation (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 1 of 2026)","slug":"statement-of-principles-concerning-animal-envenomation-reasonable-hypothesis-no-1-of-2026","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443102,"registerId":"F2025L01622-fast-fetch-1775958025624","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Statement of Principles concerning animal envenomation (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 1 of 2026)","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![RMA Australian Government Coat of Arms](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nStatement of Principles\n\nconcerning\n\nANIMAL ENVENOMATION  (Reasonable Hypothesis)\n\n(No. 1 of 2026)\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n \n\nDated    19 December 2025\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nProfessor Terence Campbell AM\n\nChairperson\n\nby and on behalf of\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority\n\n \n\n \n\n   \n\n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Repeal\n\n5 Application\n\n6 Definitions\n\n7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n\n8 Basis for determining the factors\n\n9 Factors that must exist\n\n10 Relationship to service\n\n11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary\n\n1 Definitions\n\n \n\n \n\n\n\n\n1.                Name\n\n\nThis is the Statement of Principles concerning animal envenomation (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 1 of 2026).\n\n1.                Commencement\n\n\n              This instrument commences on 19 January 2026.\n\n1.                Authority\n\n\nThis instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n1.                Repeal\n\n\nThe Statement of Principles concerning animal envenomation (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 81 of 2016) (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2016L01663) made under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA is repealed.\n\n1.                Application\n\n\nThis instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.\n\n1.                Definitions\n\n\nThe terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.\n\n1.                Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n  1.           This Statement of Principles is about animal envenomation and death from animal envenomation.\n\n\nMeaning of animal envenomation\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:\n  1.           animal envenomation means experiencing the toxic or hypersensitivity effects of contact with animal venom;\n2.           While animal envenomation attracts ICD-10-AM code T63, X20-X27, and X29, excluding specified and unspecified plants in X26 and X29, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of animal envenomation is that given in subsection (2).\n3.           For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.\n\n\nDeath from animal envenomation\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, animal envenomation, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's animal envenomation.\n\n\nNote: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.                Basis for determining the factors\n\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that animal envenomation and death from animal envenomation can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans, members of Peacekeeping Forces, or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.\n\nNote: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.                Factors that must exist\n\n\nAt least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting animal envenomation or death from animal envenomation with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:\n\n1.           having internal absorption of venom from a venomous animal, by means of a bite, sting or injection, within the 3 days before clinical onset;\n\n\nNote: venomous animal is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. \n\n1.           having external contact with venom from a snake or scorpion, by means of spitting or spraying, at the time of clinical onset;\n2.           having internal absorption of venom from a tick of the family Ixodidae within the 12 days before clinical onset;\n3.           inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for animal envenomation before clinical worsening.\n\n\n1.            Relationship to service\n  1.           The existence in a person of any factor referred to in section 9, must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person.\n  2.           The clinical worsening aspect of factors set out in section 9 apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, animal envenomation where the person's animal envenomation was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person's relevant service.\n2.            Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\n\nIn this Statement of Principles:\n\n1.           if a factor referred to in section 9 applies in relation to a person; and\n2.           that factor refers to an injury or disease in respect of which a Statement of Principles has been determined under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA;\n\n\nthen the factors in that Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.\n\n \n\n \n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary  \n\nNote:               See Section 6\n\n1               Definitions\n\nIn this instrument:\n\n                               animal envenomation—see subsection 7(2).\n\n                                MRCA means the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.\n\n                               relevant service means:\n\n(a)          operational service under the VEA;\n\n(b)          peacekeeping service under the VEA;\n\n(c)          hazardous service under the VEA;\n\n(d)          British nuclear test defence service under the VEA;\n\n(e)          warlike service under the MRCA; or\n\n(f)           non-warlike service under the MRCA.\n\nNote: MRCA and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n                               terminal event means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes the following:\n\n(a)           pneumonia;\n\n(b)           respiratory failure;\n\n(c)           cardiac arrest;\n\n(d)           circulatory failure; or\n\n(e)           cessation of brain function.\n\n                               VEA means the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986;\n\n                               venomous animal means a member of the kingdom Animalia with specialised cells for the production of venom. Such organisms include:\n\n(a)          venomous annelids (e.g. bloodworms and leeches);\n\n(b)          venomous arachnids (e.g. spiders, scorpions, and ticks);\n\n(c)          venomous centipedes;\n\n(d)          venomous cnidarians (e.g. jellyfish, Portuguese man-of-war, sea anemones, and fire coral);\n\n(e)          venomous echinoderms (e.g. sea urchin and crown-of-thorns starfish);\n\n(f)           venomous fish (e.g. stonefish, catfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, toadfish, stingray, and dogfish shark);\n\n(g)          venomous frogs;\n\n(h)          venomous insects (e.g. bees, hornets, wasps, fire ants, and caterpillars);\n\n(i)            venomous mammals (e.g. platypus, shrews, solenodons, slow lorises, and vampire bats);\n\n(j)            venomous molluscs (e.g. cone snail and blue-ringed octopus); and\n\n(k)          venomous reptiles (e.g. land snakes, sea snakes, Gila monsters, and Mexican beaded lizards).\n\n                               This definition excludes animals with toxins distributed within their bodily tissues that cause toxic effects or death after ingestion.\n\n                                \n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument expressly repeals the 2016 Statement and replaces it (s4). The replacement maintains coverage of animal envenomation and death but specifies new or clarified elements: defined temporal windows for internal absorption (3 days) and tick-related absorption (12 days) (s9(1)(a),(c)); an expanded, enumerated definition of \"venomous animal\" with an exclusion for toxins via ingestion (Schedule 1); inclusion of external contact (spitting/spraying) and a factor for lack of appropriate clinical management (s9(1)(b),(d)); and an express rule that death includes contribution to a terminal event (s7(3), Schedule 1). These textual changes indicate a change in the instrument in form and in specific scope-limiting and scope-expanding criteria."},"complexity_factors":["Legal cross-references to multiple statutes and instruments (Authority under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA; application to VEA and MRCA claims) (s3, s5, Schedule 1).","Medical-scientific threshold expressed as a \"reasonable hypothesis\" standard rather than a definitive causal test (preamble and s8).","Precise temporal windows for causation (internal absorption within 3 days; ticks within 12 days) creating evidentiary timing rules (s9(1)(a),(c)).","Broad, enumerated definition of \"venomous animal\" with an explicit exclusion for ingested tissue toxins — affects scope of covered exposures (Schedule 1).","Inclusion of death via contribution to a terminal event and cross-application where other Statements of Principles cover referenced injuries (s7(3), s10, s11).","Explicit repeal of the prior 2016 Statement and replacement raises transitional and interpretive issues for earlier claims (s4).","A factor allowing consideration where appropriate clinical management was unavailable introduces non-medical evidentiary and administrative assessment (s9(1)(d))."],"plain_english_summary":"Updates the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statement of Principles for linking animal envenomation to veterans' service, replacing the 2016 instrument.\n\nIt sets the medical criteria and timing windows (eg. 3‑day bite/sting, 12‑day tick absorption), defines \"venomous animal\" broadly while excluding ingested toxins, and includes death where envenomation contributed. It applies to claims under the VEA and MRCA and therefore affects veterans and service members seeking entitlements."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a straightforward replacement/update of the 2016 Statement of Principles concerning the same condition (animal envenomation). The scope remains tightly focused on establishing the medical criteria for linking animal venom exposure to military service. There is no evidence of scope creep; it maintains the same purpose as the original instrument it repeals."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate cross-referencing between the main instrument and Schedule 1 (Dictionary)","Multiple defined terms (approximately 8 key definitions including 'animal envenomation', 'venomous animal', 'relevant service', 'terminal event', 'MRCA', 'VEA')","Conditional logic requiring at least one of four factors to exist for a claim to succeed","Nested definitions: 'animal envenomation' defined by reference to ICD-10-AM codes, then overridden by a specific statutory definition","Exclusion clause in the 'venomous animal' definition (excluding ingested toxins)","Dual legislative framework application (VEA and MRCA) with different service types listed","Temporal conditions (3 days, 12 days) and causation requirements ('at the time of', 'before')","Section 11 creates dynamic incorporation of other Statements of Principles by reference"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument updates rules for when animal venom injuries are treated as service-related for claims under the Veterans' Entitlements Act and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act, replacing the 2016 version. It sets who is covered—current/former ADF members, veterans and peacekeepers—and guides decision-makers on linking bites, stings or venom exposure to service.\n\nClaimants must meet a medical-legal test (timing of exposure, type of contact, tick bite window, or lack of adequate treatment) to qualify for compensation and treatment."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-animal-envenomation-reasonable-hypothesis-no-1-of-2026","history":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-animal-envenomation-reasonable-hypothesis-no-1-of-2026/history","analysis":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-animal-envenomation-reasonable-hypothesis-no-1-of-2026/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-animal-envenomation-reasonable-hypothesis-no-1-of-2026/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-animal-envenomation-reasonable-hypothesis-no-1-of-2026/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-animal-envenomation-reasonable-hypothesis-no-1-of-2026/documents"}}