For the past seven years the rules that cover ADF pay, pay-related allowances and other conditions of service have been under continuous review. The desired outcome of this review process is to give the ADF a single set of documents that clearly set out ADF policy, and which all of our members can understand.

A major milestone in this process was reached in 2001 when Version 1 of the new Pay and Conditions Manual (PACMAN) was authorised.

That PACMAN combined several sources of information on ADF pay and conditions policy and met the first of these objectives. It was a manual which improved our members' access to accurate information about both their legal rights and obligations, as well as access to administrative guidance.

Since then, the Defence Personnel Executive has further refined the document. It is now 2005 and we have reached another milestone.

I am pleased to endorse PACMAN Version 2. This edition has been organised in such a way that information is now even easier to find. You will also see that it is written in language that all members of the ADF and their families can understand.

This version includes a new feature. The two volumes covering regular pay and conditions information, and the volume dealing with Overseas Conditions of Service, are now joined by the slender Pay and Conditions Manual Administration and Technical Explanation (PACMATE).

PACMATE holds alphabetical indexes to each of the three volumes, vital DPE contact information and the necessary Authorisations. It is also the home of the new Decision-Maker's Guide on Defence Conditions of Service and houses the recently developed tax alerts – flagged throughout the PACMAN.

This 'plain English' document will enable all Service personnel to both access and understand their entitlements and responsibilities. It will also aid our senior personnel as they strive toward our Defence priority goal of Developing Excellence in Management.

The determinations published in the manual are made under powers conferred by the Defence Act 1903. They authorise members’ rights and obligations in the matters with which they deal and they have the force of law.

The administrative guidance contained in this manual is issued under my authority as Chief of the Defence Force for the purposes of the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982. In addition, I authorise the Director of Conditions Information and Policy Services to amend the manual on my behalf.