Australian Government

Federal Register of Legislation

Statement of Principles concerning schizophrenia (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 28 of 2026)

In force

Administered by

Department of Veterans' Affairs

This item is authorised by the following title:

Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986

Latest version

F2026L00153

23 February 2026

Table of contents

Name
Commencement
Authority
Repeal
Application
Definitions
Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
Basis for determining the factors
Factors that must exist
having experienced as a child (under the age of 18) one of the following; serious physical, emotional, or sexual harm; neglect involving a serious failure to provide the necessities for health, physical and emotional development, or wellbeing by adults with obligations to provide such necessities; before clinical onset; having onset of infection with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) in the 1 month before clinical onset; Note: SARS-CoV-2 is the virus which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). experiencing a category 1A stressor in the 3 months before clinical onset or clinical worsening; Note: category 1A stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. experiencing a category 1B stressor within the 3 months before clinical onset or clinical worsening; Note: category 1B stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. experiencing the death of a related child within the 2 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening; Note: related child is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. experiencing the death of a parent within the 10 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening, where the person was under the age of 18 at the time of the parent's death; having cannabis use disorder within the 20 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening; having used cannabis at least twice a week for a continuous period of at least 2 years before the age of 18 years, within the 20 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening; Note: This factor includes the use of prescribed cannabis. having alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder involving a drug or a drug from a class of drugs from Specified List 1 of drugs, within the 5 years before clinical onset or clinical worsening; Note: Specified List 1 of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. having one of the following clinically significant disorders of mental health at the time of clinical worsening: acute stress disorder; alcohol use disorder; anxiety disorder; depressive disorder; eating disorder; obsessive-compulsive disorder; panic disorder; posttraumatic stress disorder; sleep-wake disorder; social anxiety disorder; or substance use disorder; Note: clinically significant disorder of mental health is defined in the Schedule 1 dictionary. taking a medication which results in the re-development or worsening of signs or symptoms of schizophrenia, where the treatment with the medication continued for at least the 2 days before clinical worsening; taking a drug or a drug from a class of drugs from Specified List 2 of drugs in the 30 days before clinical worsening; Note: Specified List 2 of drugs is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. having ceased, reduced or changed antipsychotic drug therapy, in the 7 days before clinical worsening; inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for schizophrenia before clinical worsening. Relationship to service
Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles
- Schedule 1 - Dictionary
Definitions