Member's Guide to ADF Pay and Conditions in
7.1
Introduction to housing
As an ADF member you have to
move more often than other people. At times, you may not be accompanied by your
dependants. As a general rule, you will be provided with housing assistance if
you do not have a suitable own home at your location.
Housing assistance is
provided to support Defence capability. It allows you
– and your dependants if you have any – to have somewhere to live no matter
where you are posted. This assistance is only a subsidy, so you will also have
to pay a contribution towards the cost of your accommodation.
These rates of contribution
are set so that you pay the same for a given level of accommodation wherever
you are posted. The Government will meet the cost of any regional differences.
However, if you own a home
where you are posted, and it is suitable for you to live in, you usually will
not get housing assistance. This holds unless you are not able to be
accompanied by your dependants to the new posting location.
The type of housing assistance
you get will vary. Some members will ‘live in’ (which means in living-in
accommodation located mostly on base), others will occupy housing provided by
the Defence Housing Australia, or private rental accommodation. You may even
find yourself in hotels and serviced apartments for short periods when you are
changing homes.
The kind of housing you get
depends partly on the number of your dependants. If the make-up of your group
of dependants changes, you must tell your local Housing Management Centre. For
example, you would need to tell them if you have a baby or if your marriage
ends.
There are many different
parts to housing assistance. These include the following.
·
House-hunting trips (see 7.2).
·
Living-in accommodation (see 7.3).
·
Temporary accommodation allowance (7.4).
·
Service residences (see 7.5).
·
Other types of Service residences (see 7.6).
·
Rent allowance (see 7.7).
·
Contribution for meals (see 7.8).
·
Food allowance for a member with
dependants (unaccompanied) (see 7.9).
·
Utilities (see 7.10).
Defence sets housing assistance
policy. The Defence Housing Australia administers housing assistance. The
Defence Housing Australia can be contacted on 1800 249 711.
Application to Reservists: No, unless you are required to live in or you
are on continuous full-time service.
References: ADF Pay and Conditions Manual, Chapter
7
The Defence Housing Australia web site http://www.dha.gov.au
The Defence Housing Australia booklet, Guide to
relocation services. A copy can be obtained by telephoning 1800 249
711.