The Defence Personnel Executive has finally cracked the difficult nut of ensuring access to information on pay and conditions for all. "The last bastion was the ships at sea," said Roger Bacon, Director of the Determinations Section.

The problem was ensuring the CDRom, with all the information downloaded from the Determinations website, was compatible with the Fleet Information Systems network.

Ken Larbalestier, Director Fleet Information Systems (Navy) said that "to ensure there was no clash which would crash other applications or prevent them working properly, the file names and file structures had to be checked". This work has now been completed.

The Determinations section first developed the CDRom initiative in late 1999 following the publishing of the website on pay and conditions. It was realised that some remote areas and ships at sea did not have access to either the internet or the DEFWEB.

The CDRom, which is updated monthly, has been the vehicle to ensure access to this information to every ADF member. This innovative, low cost and practical solution is in the process of being expanded to include information from other areas of DPE.

While at sea the information will be accessible through the ships' PC networks. On shore the same information can be accessed through the Internet at www.defence.gov.au/dpe/dpedet or the DEFWEB at defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/dpedet.