Cadet
funding increased
Funding for the Cadet Initiated Activities program will be almost
doubled from $260,000 to $500,000 this financial year. Under the
program, over 27,000 Australian Defence Force Cadets have the
opportunity to submit bids for funding on behalf of their unit
to undertake activities that further their leadership and team-building
skills. Cadets may also submit bids for training equipment they
believe will benefit their unit. Some of the bids submitted over
the past couple of years include flight simulation software, kayaks
and GPS equipment. Examples of previous funding include TS Argonaut
in Tasmania, which participated in a one-day sea survival course
at the Australian Maritime College.
Support payment rises
The weekly rate for the Employer Support Payment Scheme increased
to $948 on July 1, up from $899.90 last financial year. The scheme
helps offset the costs employers incur for releasing employees
to serve in the Naval, Army or Air Force Reserves. It applies
to full-time and part-time employees, as well as the self-employed.
For more information call 1800 001 696 or visit www.defence.gov.au/reserves.
Proud day at Malibu
It was a proud day for the staff and students of Malibu Special
Needs School at Safety Bay, Rockingham, with the opening of their
new kitchen. In August last year two demountable classrooms were
destroyed by fire. With the assistance from the ship’s company
of Westralia the buildings were removed and the site was rapidly
made safe for the children of the school, the ship’s charity.
Westralia’s assistance included painting the smoke-damaged
classrooms and restoring the school’s award winning Sensory
Garden to its former glory. As well, crew members of HMAS Westralia
traded their sea legs for pedal power as part of a Lions Club
initiative to help raise funds for the community and in particular,
the Malibu School. The crew pedalled their way through WA’s
southwest to Albany and back, raising funds along the way.
