News/Media
DFA launches its Agenda
PEEP Application Process Closed Early
Technology and Family Reunion Study
ANZAC Commemoration Research
Housing at RAAF Darwin
New Partner Education and Employment Program
Toll takes over Relocations/Removals from 1 July
2010 Annual Update of Group Rent Scheme
New Generation Navy - Update for Navy families
CAF Message for Commanders and their Families
26 August 2010
DFA launches its Annual Agenda
Defence Families of Australia has today launched Agenda 2010-2011, which outlines DFA's involvement in important Defence initiatives in the past year and priorities for the coming year.
The DFA Agenda is the outcome of a national member survey undertaken in May and discussions held with Defence organisations at the National Conference in June. National Delegates met with a broad range of Defence leaders including the Chief of Defence Force ACM Angus Houston and the Minister for Defence Personnel, Alan Griffin.
You can read a summary of the survey results, individual issues tackled by National Delegates located in each region of Australia and the most important Defence policy changes relating to families in the past year.
The DFA Agenda also outlines the priority action for Defence Families in the coming year including the implementation of a National Family ID Card, promotion of Stepping In programs to orientate families throughout life stages and advocacy on increasing direct communication between Defence and families.
The National Executive looks forward to working with DFA members as it works to fulfil its Agenda.
You can download your copy of the Agenda in pdf format here (less than 1MB).
Please email comments and feedback on the Agenda to the DFA National Convenor Julie Blackburn at convenor@dfa.org.au.
August 26 2010
PEEP Application Process Closed Early
DCO advises that due to the overwhelming popularity of the Partner Education and Employment Program, DCO has reached its limit of available funding for this financial year.
Accordingly the application process has been closed and will be reopened in advance of next financial year on a date to be advised. Partners who may, as a result of this change, fall outside the two year eligibility period, will not be disadvantaged.
DFA will be consulting DCO over this change and will post information on how it will affect members on our website. Please send your feedback and enquiries with details of your situation to convenor@dfa.org.au.
DCO has also established an email address for feedback and enquiries at peep@defence.gov.au.
August 2010
Technology and Family Reunion Study
Are you a member of a family that experiences physical separation, such as deployments, often?
If so, you are cordially invited to participate in a University of Melbourne study about the ways technology could facilitate reunion between family members.
You will be asked to participate in two interviews of no more than one hour each, and a focus group which will last about an hour. Each participant will be entitled to a $25 gift voucher.
To participate, contact researcher Kostas Kazakos: kkazakos@kazakos.info or 0435 501 326.
This study has been approved by University of Melbourne Ethics #1033632.1.
August 2010
ANZAC Commemoration Research
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is conducting research into community views on the commemoration of 100 years of service in war, defence and peacekeeping, including the ANZAC Centenary in 2015.
DVA has engaged research house Colmar Brunton to canvas the views of current ADF members and their families. Colmar Brunton is seeking volunteers for six online focus groups of current serving members and three online focus groups of Defence Families.
Focus groups will take 1.5 hours to conduct and require six to eight volunteers per group. Colmar Brunton and DVA apologise in advance that not all people who volunteer will be able to participate, but if you are interested in having input to the commemoration of these events, please contact Colmar Brunton by email at groupdiscussions@cbr.com.au.
July 2010
Housing at RAAF DARWIN
There have been concerns raised in regards to Defence housing in Darwin, with conflicting reports in the media.
DFA has requested and recieved responses on this issue from Defence Support Operations and Minister for Defence Personnel Alan Griffin. Read the Defence letter regarding RAAF Base Darwin and Defence Establishment Berrimah. Read Alan Griffin's media release.
A Defence information session will be held on the issue in late August. Check back here for the exact date, time and location.
If you have any feedback on this issue please email DFA National Convenor Julie Blackburn at convenor@dfa.org.au.
New Partner Education and Employment Program
PEEP is a Defence funded program developed to provide a comprehensive employment and education program of initiatives to ADF partners.
The program has been developed in response to feedback received from the Defence Family Survey and an evaluation of the former Services Workforce Access Program for Partners (SWAPP) SELECT. Effective from 1 July 2010, PEEP will replace SWAPP SELECT and recognised ADF partners will be eligible for a one off Education and Employment Allowance to the value of $12,000 for a period of ten years to cover all the following initiatives:
- Superannuation set up
- Professional Employment Assistance
- Education and Training (tertiary or vocational)
- Personalised Resume Preparation
- Professional Re-registration Expense Payments
- Child care
The funding is capped at $6,000 per posting for the agreed initiatives. Existing funding caps have been removed apart from child care which remains capped at $250 per child per posting and the requirement for training to be completed within 12 months has been eliminated to allow partners to undertake tertiary education to develop a longer term career option. Partners are encouraged to undertake tertiary studies through Open Universities Australia. This permits partners to continue their education wherever they maybe posted whether in Australia or overseas. Open Universities Australia offer the following benefits to Defence partners:
- Access to an online enrolment facility and unique client code.
- Access to a priority corporate support team through a dedicated email contact point. Within Australia there is also a dedicated 1300 number supported by a team to assist partners in making the right choice about higher education, and government loan options.
- A flexible and totally international higher education study offer for clients no matter what their location.
- Financial support to each student who enrols using the code for the purchase of text books for the first five units. That is $60 per undergraduate unit and $100 per postgraduate unit.
- Extended on-line tutorial support.
ADF partners when seeking employment are encouraged to use Job Search, Australia’s largest free online jobs website www.jobsearch.com.au
For more information on PEEP initiatives including eligibility criteria and application form, please visit the DCO website at www.defence.gov.au/dco/.
Toll Transitions takes over Relocation Administration and Removals from 1 July
From 1 July 2010 Toll Transitions will be responsible for the management of both Relocation Administration and Removal Services for Defence Members, and will be your main point of contact for all matters pertaining to your relocation including:
• Application For Removal (AFR) Lodgement
• Travel and Temporary Accommodation
• Relocation Entitlements and Reimbursements
• Removal and Storage
DHA will remain the primary contact for Defence Housing and related services.
Relocations and removals taking place prior to 31 August 2010, which are submitted prior to 1 July 2010, will be finalised by DHA. DHA can be contacted on free call 1800 249 711.
Members who have a relocation/removal date after 1 September 2010 should contact Toll Transitions on free call 1800 819 167.
Annual update of the Group Rent Scheme
For the 2010 annual update of the Group Rent Scheme, the Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Force have agreed to implement a subsidy correction program to bring the Defence subsidy and member contributions to 50% each.
This year's subsidy correction has been added to the underlying rent growth to apply a 9% increase to contributions to rent bands 1, 2 and 3. An exception is applied to LT(E), 2LT(E), SSGT(E) and SGT(E) in Rent Band 1, for whom a 8.46% contribution increase will achieve the 50% subsidy target. Contributions for Rent Bands 4 (COL/BRIG (E)) will be increased by 14.47% and Rent Band 5 (MAJGEN (E)) by 17.77% in the 2010 update. These increases will move rent bands 4 and 5 to the required 50% subsidy level.
This year’s GRS increase incorporates rises in the cost of rent for properties in the national rental market and moves to correct an imbalance in the subsidy Defence provides for housing. It is longstanding policy that Defence should subsidise 50 per cent of the national cost of housing for ADF members and their families however, currently Defence subsidises members’ rent by 56.5%.
Over a number of years, the percentage of housing subsidy Defence paid under the scheme had grown, and this needed to be redressed. Because Defence is still subsidising more than the intended 50 per cent, one aim of GRS adjustments is to assist Defence to achieve the 50 per cent target. Defence offers ADF members a compelling Service offer, with housing assistance one of its most attractive components. To ensure that the quality of housing can be maintained and improved in the future, it is important that the costs are shared fairly between Defence and ADF members.
Rents paid by Defence are calculated on the basis of independently assessed market rents across Australia which are updated annually on 1 January. In the past, the resulting adjustment in the GRS was not passed on to members by Defence until October or November each year, with this lag contributing to the increase in the Defence subsidy.
This year’s change will take effect on 22 July 2010, with the change reflected in members’ Salary Variation Authorities on payday 5 August 2010. From 2011, adjustments will be made during March–April.
The subsidy correction program does not apply to contributions for the lower-amenity housing Group A or Group 1A, as this housing is being phased out of service. CPL(E) and below occupying a Group A Service residence will pay at a lower rate than Rent Band 1, until this Group A housing is phased out by July 2017.
For more information go to www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac
9 April 2010
New Generation Navy (NGN) Anniversary Update to Navy Families from Chief of Navy
Chief of Navy (CN), Vice Admiral Russ Crane outlines the New Generation Navy (NGN) Program's progress after its first year and the CN’s commitment to keeping families informed and articulating the Navy's thanks to families. The CN's anniversary letter can be viewed by clicking here.
March 2010
Chief of Air Force Message RE: Family Communication
CAF AVM Mark Binskin is increasing communications in the RAAF with families, encouraging Commanders to lead by example with family contact. To read his CAF message click here
Chief of Air Force, AVM Mark Binskin addresses DFA in February 2010