{"id":"F2007L04376","name":"Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 - Determination of Warlike Service - OPERATION NORTHERN WATCH (15/10/2007)","slug":"veterans-entitlements-act-1986-determination-of-warlike-service-operation-northern-watch-15-10-2007","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":70701,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2007L04376-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 - Determination of Warlike Service - OPERATION NORTHERN WATCH (15/10/2007)","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 20.2\ntitle: Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.png)  \n\n\n \n\n# Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986\n\n \n\nDetermination of Warlike Service\n\nOPERATION NORTHERN WATCH\n\n \n\nI, Bruce Billson, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs:\n\n1. determine that:\n\n\n(i).            the area of operations comprises Iraq; and\n\n(ii).           service rendered as a member of the Australian Defence Force assigned for service with the United States elements of the coalition force operation to patrol the Iraq No-Fly-Zones on Operation NORTHERN WATCH during the period 1 January 1997 to 12 January 2003 in the area of operations is warlike service for the purposes of the definition of “warlike service” in subsection 5C(1) of the Act.\n\nb.                      this Determination is taken to have commenced on 16 April 2007.\n\n \n\n \n\nDated                                  15 October 2007\n\n \n\n \n\nSigned Bruce Billson\n\n \n\n \n\n                 BRUCE BILLSON         \n\n             Minister for Veterans’ Affairs\n\n             \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-batch","completionTokens":1377},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The determination performs exactly its intended function: declaring a specific historical military operation as warlike service. It does not expand beyond the operational parameters of Operation Northern Watch or alter the broader eligibility framework of the Veterans' Entitlements Act."},"complexity_factors":["Single, self-contained operational determination with no subordinate provisions or schedules","Only one legislative cross-reference (to subsection 5C(1) of the Act)","No interpretation section or defined terms","Fixed temporal scope (specific dates) and single geographic area (Iraq)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this does:** This official declaration recognizes that Australian Defence Force members who served in **Operation Northern Watch** performed **'warlike service'** for the purposes of veterans' benefits law.\n\n**Who it affects:** ADF personnel assigned to patrol the Iraq No-Fly-Zones alongside United States coalition forces between **1 January 1997 and 12 January 2003**.\n\n**Why it matters:** Being classified as 'warlike service' (rather than peacetime service) affects the level of **compensation and benefits** these veterans can claim under the *Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986*. Warlike service typically attracts higher disability pensions and entitlements if members suffer injuries or medical conditions related to their deployment.\n\n**Retroactive effect:** Although signed on 15 October 2007, this determination applies as if it had commenced on **16 April 2007**, meaning eligible veterans could claim benefits from that earlier date."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/veterans-entitlements-act-1986-determination-of-warlike-service-operation-northern-watch-15-10-2007","history":"/api/acts/veterans-entitlements-act-1986-determination-of-warlike-service-operation-northern-watch-15-10-2007/history","analysis":"/api/acts/veterans-entitlements-act-1986-determination-of-warlike-service-operation-northern-watch-15-10-2007/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/veterans-entitlements-act-1986-determination-of-warlike-service-operation-northern-watch-15-10-2007/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/veterans-entitlements-act-1986-determination-of-warlike-service-operation-northern-watch-15-10-2007/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/veterans-entitlements-act-1986-determination-of-warlike-service-operation-northern-watch-15-10-2007/documents"}}