Division 1: Deployment allowance

 

TAX ALERT: PACMATE Annex 3.B, item 184.

17.9.3    Purpose
17.9.4    Definitions
17.9.5    Member this Division applies to
17.9.6    Member this Division does not apply to
17.9.7    Eligibility
17.9.8    Rate of allowance
17.9.9    Threat level for military, armed or related threats
17.9.10   Threat level for environmental hazards
17.9.11   Allowance during leave after deployment
17.9.12   Review of rates
17.9.13   Allowances that may be payable

17.9.3    Purpose

 

The purpose of deployment allowance is to compensate members for the hazard, stress and environmental factors that they are likely to experience on a warlike or non-warlike deployment.

17.9.4    Definitions

Term

Definition in this Division

Leave

Recreation leave or war service leave.

Threat level

The level of:

a. military, armed or related threat, and

b. environmental hazards.

17.9.5    Member this Division applies to

 

Deployment allowance is payable to a member assigned for duty on a warlike or non-warlike deployment.

17.9.6    Member this Division does not apply to

 

A member is not entitled to deployment allowance while serving detention with the ADF.

See also: Regulation 68 Defence Force Regulations 1952

Chapter 3 Part 6, Salary and allowances when a member is absent without leave, in civil custody or undergoing a period of detention or imprisonment

17.9.7    Eligibility

 

A member is to be paid deployment allowance for any day on which they do any of the following activities.

 

a.

Perform duty in an operational area for an operation they are assigned to.

 

b.

If no operational area is prescribed, perform duty while assigned to an operation that is prescribed under section 5C of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

 

c.

Take leave that they accrued during their period of service with a deployment.

 

Example: Duty performed on an operation listed in Annex 17.9.A, Deployment allowance – eligible areas and operations, that the member has been assigned to.

 
17.9.8    Rate of allowance

1.

The amount of deployment allowance payable is the sum of the daily amounts in columns 3 and 4 of this table in relation to the threat level for each of these threats.

 

a.

Military, armed or related threat.

 

b.

Environmental hazard.

 

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

Item

Threat level

Rate of allowance ‑ AUD a day

Military, armed or related threat

Environmental hazard

1.

Very low

Nil

Nil

2.

Low

29.22

15.07

3.

Medium

50.90

25.74

4.

High

72.57

36.43

5.

Very High

94.23

47.13

 

 

Example 1: A member who is deployed to a location with a medium threat level in relation to military, armed or related threat and environmental hazard is entitled to a daily rate of deployment allowance of AUD 76.64. That daily rate is made up of:

§          AUD 50.90 in relation to the military, armed or related threat, and

§          AUD 25.74 in relation to the environmental hazard.

 

Example 2: A member who is deployed to a location with a medium military, armed or related threat level and very high environmental hazard is entitled to a daily rate of deployment allowance of AUD 98.03. That daily rate is made up of:

§          AUD 50.90 in relation to the military, armed or related threat, and

§          AUD 47.13 in relation to the environmental hazard.

2.

The Minister determines which threat levels apply to:

 

a.

Duty performed in an operational area.

 

b.

Duty performed on an operation prescribed under section 5C of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

3.

Different rates of allowance may be set for different areas within the operational area and for sea, land or air operations.

4.

While on a deployment, a member is not taken to be overseas for conditions of service purposes. They cannot receive other overseas allowances and entitlements.

Exception 1: A member may receive hardship allowance if they are temporarily deployed outside the operational area to a place that gets a hardship allowance.

See: Chapter 16 Part 2, Hardship allowance

Exception 2: A member may be paid overseas travel costs on days for which they pay for their own meals.

See: Chapter 13 Part 3, Travel costs for short-term duty overseas

17.9.9    Threat level for military, armed or related threats

1.

The Minister decides the threat level for military, armed or related threats. This is decided by considering all the following for each deployment.

 

a.

The political and military situation in the operational area and its stability.

 

b.

The activities and aims of the military forces and other armed groups present in the area.

 

c.

Any introduced artificial hazards, including mines, unexploded weapons and booby traps.

 

d.

The incidence of violent crime, civil disturbance, terrorism, insurgency, insurrection and uprising.

 

e.

The nature of the deployment.

 

f.

The command arrangements.

 

g.

Any other relevant security factor.

2.

This table lists and defines the five threat levels.

 

Threat level

Definition

Very low

The risk to members is similar to normal peacetime training in Australia.

Low

The risk to members is more than normal peacetime training in Australia and there is some risk of introduced artificial hazards or localised or isolated violence.

Medium

The risk to members is significant, owing to:

a. artificial hazards

b. localised violence

c. isolated violence.

High

The risk to members is short of open warfare, but some direct armed opposition is possible.

Very high

The risk to members is similar to open warfare.

17.9.10   Threat level for environmental hazards

1.

The Minister determines the threat level for environmental hazards. This is decided by considering all the following for each deployment:

 

a.

The risk to health, including incidence and nature of any disease, quality and availability of health services and facilities and means of medical evacuation.

 

b.

The topography, climate and extent of any pollution and natural hazards.

 

c.

The extent and quality of the civil infrastructure including water supplies, accommodation and public sanitation.

 

d.

The extent of any insect, plant and animal hazards.

 

e.

The risk of road accidents and the traffic condition.

 

f.

The common language and social conditions.

 

g.

The nature of the deployment.

 

h.

The command arrangements.

 

i.

Any other relevant environmental factor.

2.

This table lists and defines the five threat levels.

 

Threat level

Definition

The risk to the health and well being of members is...

the quality and availability of local medical support …

Very low

similar to normal peacetime training in Australia, and

is similar to normal peacetime training in Australia.

Low

greater than normal peacetime training in Australia, and

is more variable than that available in Australia.

Medium

serious and possible, and

is significantly inferior to that available in Australia.

High

serious and likely, and

and the ability to evacuate is highly limited.

Very high

extreme and likely, and

is unreliable and evacuation is not possible.

17.9.11   Allowance during leave after deployment

1.

A member receives deployment allowance if they meet both these conditions.

 

a.

They are assigned for duty with a deployment.

 

b.

They start a period of leave during or immediately after ending duty with the deployment.

1A.

This clause applies in relation to the following leave types.

 

a.

Basic recreation leave accrued during the deployment.

 

b.

Additional recreation leave accrued during the deployment.

 

c.

Before 18 February 2011, additional recreation leave (travelling leave) for a member on a relief-out-of-country fare to Australia.

Note: If taken on or after 18 February 2011, this type of leave does not attract payment of deployment allowance but it does not break continuity for the payment of the allowance for accrued leave types.

 

d.

War service leave.

2.

A member is entitled to deployment allowance for the shortest of these periods.

 

a.

The leave granted.

 

b.

The unused leave credits accrued for service during the deployment.

 

c.

The leave that would be accrued for 12 months' service with the deployment.

3.

The rate of deployment allowance payable for leave granted is the same as the rate that was payable to the member during the period of deployment for which the leave was accrued.

4.

In some cases, a member might cease duty with the deployment. However, because of illness, injury or immediate service requirements, they might not be able to immediately do any of these things.

 

a.

Start a period of leave.

 

b.

Complete a period of leave.

 

c.

Use their leave credit.

 

In these cases, the period during which the member was ill, injured or meeting immediate service requirements is ignored. Any separate periods of leave are treated as one period.

Example: A member breaks a leg and cannot go on leave as they are in traction in a hospital. Their entitlement is carried forward until they can take the leave.

5.

The deployment allowance is not payable for other forms of leave or absence taken consecutively with leave to which subclause 1A applies.

 

Note: Deployment allowance is tax exempt.

17.9.12   Review of rates

1.

Deployment allowance rates may be reviewed on any of these occasions.

 

a.

Every six months.

 

b.

When forces are rotated.

 

c.

If there is a change in the assessed threat level.

 

d.

When the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal determines a general salary increase for the ADF.

2.

A member receiving deployment allowance must be made aware by their Commanding Officer that the rate initially approved may increase or decrease during their deployment, as a result of reviews.

17.9.13   Allowances that may be payable

 

A member getting deployment allowance may be entitled to these allowances in the following situations.

 

Item

Allowance

Additional information

1.

Separation allowance

If applicable, separation allowance may be payable.

See: Chapter 6 Part 1 Division 1

2.

Hardship allowance

Hardship allowance is not payable in any period in which the member is paid deployment allowance and has no partner living at the hardship location.

See: Clause 16.2.4, Amount of hardship allowance

3.

Travel costs

Travel costs are only payable to a member on any day the member has to pay for their own meals while on deployment.

See: Chapter 13 Part 3, Travel costs for short-term duty overseas

 

PACMAN                                                     AL13 (November 2011)                                 Chapter 17 – Part 9 Division 1 – 1