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.

*Please note DFA did not publish a Spring/Summer 2024 edition of the Advocacy Map.

We will be working on developing a new Strategic Plan, as well as reassessing the format, content, and timing of the Advocacy Map over the coming months.

We want to ensure our Advocacy Map is fit for purpose and provides clarity to Defence families and stakeholders on how we want to achieve our advocacy goals.

2023/2024 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 and provided advice on improving direct communication with families impacted by DSR relocations, resulting in multiple local information briefings with families in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
  • Collaborated with and provided advice to DMFS on areas for improvement for the ‘Families’ section of Defence website to enable families to locate relevant information.
  • Produced and distributed a direct-to-families communications paper to HMP and DMFS, facilitating a collaborative workshop with DMFS to further DFA’s recommendations.
  • Created and disseminated a DFA information video about our role in the Defence community to promote awareness among a wider audience of Commanders, stakeholders, and family members.

      Education

      • Requested the CDF engage the Northern Territory and Queensland governments and education departments to relax school and childcare enrolment requirements for Defence families impacted by DSR relocations.
      • Advocated to Luke Gosling OAM MP and Brent Potter MLA for special consideration to be given to Defence families impacted by DSR relocations in relation to school enrolment and zoning requirements in the Northern Territory.
      • Advocated for Defence to provide a letter to schools for families facing challenges in enrolling their children due to postings, and to engage with State and Territory education departments to extend families understanding and flexibility when submitting enrolments.

      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.
      • 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.

        Overseas Lateral Transfer Families

        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.
        • Provided a submission to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide in support of a proposed new entity to promote the wellbeing of Defence members and veterans, with additional family-focused recommendations.
        • 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.
        • Drove awareness of Defence family support and initiatives such as the ADF Child of the Medallion, the Navy’s “Stay On Board – People First”, ADF Lateral Transfer Families Meet and Greet event, ADF Equip program, ADF Financial Services Consumer Centre resources, DMFS education and deployment resources for children.
        • 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.