PACMAN Chapter 13 Part 3 Division 2: Equipment costs

	TAX ALERT: PACMATE Annex 3.B, item 31.
	The payment of basic equipment costs helps a member in two ways when they travel from Australia to short-term duty overseas.
	a.	It helps them pay for travel equipment and other necessary items. Examples: A suitcase, a foreign electricity adaptor, a world clock.
	b.	It has an element to pay them for the extra wear and tear on their possessions.

	TAX ALERT: PACMATE Annex 3.B, item 31.
1.	A member is entitled to use the travel card to buy equipment up to a maximum of:
	a.	AUD 115 for travel to New Zealand.
	b.	AUD 225 for any other travel.
2.	A member can use the travel card to buy equipment to the total of AUD 225 in any three-year period.
	Example: A member travels to New Zealand and spends AUD 115 to buy a suitcase. Two years later, the member travels to the United States. The member may only use the travel card to buy equipment up to AUD 110.
3.	A member is not entitled to use the travel card to pay for equipment for use in these situations.
	a.	Participating in an approved ADF activity such as overseas adventure training, sports events or work experience.
	b.	Serving in a seagoing ship or submarine and required to live ashore while the vessel is in an overseas port.
	c.	Travelling on short-term duty to Australia from an overseas location where they are on a long-term posting.
	d.	For use at a long-term posting.
4.	If a member uses the travel card to buy equipment and then does not go overseas, they must repay the total amount to the Commonwealth.
5.	The CDF may waive the repayment, if satisfied that they are unable to recover the cost of any items they bought.

Persons who can make the decision under subclause 13.3.18.5 on behalf of the Secretary/CDF:

A person in one of the following positions or levels, who holds a Financial Delegations Manual (FINMAN 2) F2-2 (Proposal Approval) delegation:

Director/Commanding Officer, not below MAJ(E)/APS 6 in the member’s direct chain of command or supervision.

A person not below MAJ(E)/APS 6 who is authorised to manage Defence personnel administration at the overseas post.

Senior ADF Representative at the overseas post

Integrated Travel Solutions Director

	TAX ALERT: PACMATE Annex 3.B, item 31.
1.	A member may use the travel card to buy special clothing for overseas climates that are different from the usual climate at their normal place of duty.
2.	The CDF may authorise the member to use the travel card to buy additional equipment. Approval can only be given if the CDF is satisfied that the maximum entitlement under clause 13.3.18 is not enough to meet the member's needs.
3.	The CDF must consider all these criteria.
	a.	The climate at the member’s destination compared to the climate at their normal place of duty.
	b.	The length of the proposed travel.
	c.	The means of travel.
	d.	The climate likely to be met at locations during the travel.
	e.	The duties the member will perform during the travel.
	f.	How much clothing the Commonwealth supplies the member for the travel.
	g.	How much more wear and tear the member’s clothing will face due to the travel, compared to ordinary wear and tear.
	h.	Any Commonwealth money the member was entitled to for buying clothes for previous duty travel within Australia or overseas.

Persons who can make the decision under subclause 13.3.19.2 on behalf of the Secretary/CDF:

A person in one of the following positions or levels, who holds a Financial Delegations Manual (FINMAN 2) F2-2 (Proposal Approval) delegation:

Director/Commanding Officer, not below MAJ(E)/APS 6 in the member’s direct chain of command or supervision.

A person not below MAJ(E)/APS 6 who is authorised to manage Defence personnel administration at the overseas post.

Senior ADF Representative at the overseas post

Integrated Travel Solutions Director

4.	An authorised member may use the travel card to spend up to AUD 205 on additional equipment. The member may spend up to this amount once in any three-year period for use in each of these three regions as they are identified in the CDF approval.
	a.	A tropical region.
	b.	A cold region.
	c.	Another climatic region.
5.	The member may be entitled to spend a further AUD 205 for additional equipment in any three-year period. Approval may only be given if the CDF is satisfied that they meet all these conditions.
	a.	They are to travel on short-term duty to a location.
	b.	They are likely to be exposed to an extremely cold winter climate at that location.
	c.	The additional equipment they are entitled to buy under clause 13.3.18 and subclause 4 above will not meet their clothing needs for travel to the location.

Persons who can make the decision under subclause 13.3.19.5 on behalf of the Secretary/CDF:

Integrated Travel Solutions Director

6.	This table gives examples of how this clause is applied.

Item	Climate	Examples: additional equipment allowance applies	Non-examples: additional equipment allowance does not apply
1.	Tropical	Destination: Singapore Normal place of duty: Melbourne Reason: The two places have different climates (tropical and temperate).	Destination: Papua New Guinea Normal place of duty: Cairns Reason: Both are tropical climates.
2.	Cold	Destination: UK in January Normal place of duty: Brisbane in January Reason: The two places have different climates at that time of year.	Destination: UK in April Normal place of duty: Melbourne in April Reason: The two places have similar climates at that time of year.
3.	Extreme cold (subclause 5)	Destination: Moscow or northern Canada in winter Normal place of duty: Sydney Reason: Moscow and northern Canada have extremely cold winter climates.	Destination: Moscow in summer Normal place of duty: Sydney Reason: The two places have similar climates at that time of year.

7.	Additional equipment allowance may be paid to members on long-term overseas postings who must travel to other overseas locations for short-term duty.

	TAX ALERT: PACMATE Annex 3.B, item 32.
	A member who is entitled under this Division may get an allowance for their equipment costs. This is only if they meet these two conditions.
	a.	They are travelling on short-term duty overseas.
	b.	They have not got a travel card.
	The limit of the allowance is the amount they would be entitled to if they used the travel card under this Division.

PACMAN AL10 (August 2011) Chapter 13 – Part 3 Division 2 – 1