Member's Guide to ADF Pay and Conditions in
7.8
Contribution for meals
Any ADF member may eat meals
in the mess. The member usually must pay a charge for the meal. The charge is
less than the actual cost of the meal.
If you eat regularly in the
mess you can choose to make a fortnightly payment (based on your rank), to
cover your meal costs. The payment is called a 'contribution'. All normal entry
recruits during basic recruit training eat in the mess and make payment this
way.
If you only eat in the mess
now and again you can choose to pay for each meal you eat. Once you have chosen
to pay for each meal separately you cannot return to the fortnightly payment
system until three months have passed.
If you are a member with dependants (unaccompanied)
If you are a member with dependants
(unaccompanied) (see 8.1,
What category are you in?), you do not pay for meals
while you live in. If you live out you can get food allowance (see 7.9)
or you can choose to eat your meals free of charge in the mess.
Your fortnightly meal contribution
will stop if you are on leave for more than 72 hours, if you are being
paid travel costs, if you are away on a ship or if you are living under field
conditions. You also will not contribute for meals if you are not required to
contribute for your living-in accommodation (see 7.3),
except if you are doing your basic recruit training or are sharing living-in
accommodation.
Application to Reservists: Yes. You will not pay a contribution if you are
a Reserve recruit during basic recruit training and must live in temporarily
for Service reasons.
References: ADF Pay and Conditions Manual, Chapter 7 Part
2
Contribution rates are in the
ADF Pay and Conditions Manual, Chapter 7 Part 7 Division
1