Accommodation benefits will be enhanced as part of the 2003/2004 Budget, with the Single LEAP (Living Environment and Accommodation Precinct) project. Photo provided by Defence Digital Media

Enhanced lifestyle

Accommodation arrangements for ADF personnel will be greatly enhanced under a $356.5 million package in the 2004-05 Budget.

The package will provide single ADF members with improved modern facilities, such as Internet access, on Defence bases around Australia and more ADF personnel will be given the choice to live on or off base.

The upgraded accommodation will also be close to key services such as coffee shops, dry cleaners, and gymnasiums

The project, called Single LEAP (Living Environment and Accommodation Precinct), will include:

• $113.2 million for new or renovated individual units for ADF members without dependents. The intention is to engage the private sector potentially through Public Private Partnerships to deliver innovative living environments for ADF members; and
• $243.3 million to increase the successful Rent Assistance scheme, enabling up to 10,600 ADF members without dependants to live off base by 2006.

The Budget also includes $705 million for new and upgraded Defence facilities and maintenance for the Defence estate.

Defence will spend about $305 million in 2004-05 on approved capital facilities projects that will support ADF capabilities.

Some of the spending in 2004-05 includes:

• $50 million for new facilities for 1 Avn Regt at Robertson Barracks in Darwin, including purpose-built working, training and domestic accommodation facilities. Construction commenced in April 2004 and is due for completion by the end of 2005.
• $11.5 million to redevelop Oakey Base in Queensland to support the flying and maintenance training necessary for the introduction of the new fleet of Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters.

An extra $300 million would be also provided over three years from 2005-06 to meet increasing costs of maintaining the Defence estate.

As there is a critical need to commence some of this work straight away, Defence has redirected an additional $100 million from within its existing budget to estate upkeep in 2004-05.

The extra money will be spent on maintaining Defence’s extensive base infrastructure, including airfields, naval bases, barracks, training ranges, cadet facilities and fuel farms. Funds will also be used to meet community environmental and occupational health and safety regulatory requirements.

The program of estate upkeep works will be developed each year with projects focusing on the areas of highest priorities.

Examples of works to be undertaken in 2004-05 include:

• An upgrade of the bulk fuel storage at Puckapunyal, Victoria.
• Maintenance works at Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania.
• Heritage management works at RMC-A, and.
• Improvements to address occupational health and safety issues at cadet facilities in various States.

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