Advocating for Defence families

Advocacy Achievements

Every six months, DFA publish our completed advocacy items in our Advocacy Map. We have listed a handful of these below under our five priority themes, as well as areas including General Advocacy.

Many additional goals are ongoing, and remain in the broader map. You can find ALL of our completed goals published in our bi-annual Advocacy Map. All previous versions of the map can be found on our Publications page.

2023 Highlights

Housing

  • Advised on the Defence Housing Review regarding regional and national housing trends and related issues.
  • Collaborated with the Assistant Minister of Defence and Defence’s Recruitment and Retention (R2) team on establishing housing roundtables to give members and families opportunities to directly provide feedback on housing, and participating in focus groups to illustrate housing trends and family needs.

Communication

  • Advocated for improved communication including family information sessions for 7RAR/9 Brigade families impacted by unit relocations as part of the Defence Strategic Review Army restructure. SA, NT and North QLD DFA delegates attended, presented and supported the family information sessions, assisted in Career Management Agency activities and engaged with Command to collaborate further as the restructure progresses.
  • Provided DMFS with further feedback and suggestions to continually improve the Defence Member Family Guide
  • Request update the Fundamental Inputs to Capability (FIC) in Section 1.5 of the ADF Capability Life Cycle Manual to include families.

      Education

      • Improved awareness of the role of DMFS EDLO for education matters to overseas lateral transfers when arriving in Australia through the DFA blog.
      • Participated in Defence School Mentor network meetings nationwide to collaborate with DSMs to improve outcomes for Defence school children.
      • Shared learnings from Defence School Mentor program with Veteran Family Advocate to develop veteran child services where required.
      • [PRIORITY GOAL – Education] Collaborated with the Veterans SA brief to State Ministers to advocate for the establishment of an enrolment identifier for South Australian Defence school children.

      Employment

      • Advocated to the Defence Security and Estate Group (SEG) contract partners to progress development of ADF family employment initiatives, including delivering a briefing and provided resources to SEG partners. A SEG Base Service Contractors Defence family initiative would: leverage the underutilised workforce of Defence family members as prospective talent for these Defence industry companies, and enable Defence families to access a range of long-term career options with Defence industry who have a footprint at bases across the nation (jobs may be transferred with each posting).
      • Published the Defence Family Career Comeback Course Evaluation Report based on the successful 2022 pilot program. The Evaluation Report serves as a blueprint for other tertiary institutions and enterprises to develop their own programs for Defence family members.

      Relationships

      • Provided advice on the DMFS Commanders and Managers Guide to Responding to Family and Domestic Violence.
      • Advocated for key stakeholders including Bravery Trust and Soldier On to develop targeted support for families impacted by family and domestic violence, including financial control.

        Family Stability

        General Advocacy

        • Fulfilled advisory role to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide (2021-2023) on engaging with Defence families, providing multiple submissions and giving critical insights into the Defence family experience.
        • Represented Defence families in the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Stakeholder Reference Group.
        • Provided advice on requests to Members of Parliament to support complex Defence family cases in their local community, linking families to relevant support and providing policy improvement advice and positions to MPs.
        • Provided advice to the Attorney-General’s Department on the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and establishing a new federal administrative review body.
        • Consulted with Veterans SA, Legacy SA and Broken Hill, and DMFS in the development of the Veterans SA 2024/25 Strategic Aims and Outcomes for South Australian Defence families.
        • Collaborated with the National ESO Forum in an advisory role on the formation of a peak ESO body.

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