By Adrian Wellspring, Director Housing and Removals Policy There is a shortage of suitable LIA.

Parts of the previous LIA policy had some ambiguity about the reasons for living in.

The reasons for requiring MWOD to live in were thoroughly discussed by the Defence People Committee and the Chiefs of Service Committee and are now clearly stated in the new LIA policy.

The new LIA policy supports capability by giving priority occupancy of LIA to those MWOD who are required to live in.

This is the main change.

Commanding officers now have a clear policy framework within which to make consistent decisions as to who will be required to live in.

LIA not needed by those required to live in may be offered to MWOD who wish to live in.

Where no suitable LIA is available, MWOD - regardless of whether or not they are required to live in - are entitled to Rent Allowance (RA).

This is the same policy principle that applies to members with dependants (MWD).

Where a MWD is eligible for housing assistance and a suitable DHA house is not available, the MWD is entitled to RA.MWOD who do not own their own home in their posting locality are currently entitled to Commonwealth provided accommodation or RA, just like MWDs, and will continue to be entitled.

I plan to submit a more detailed article on the LIA policy changes in the next two months

• In the meantime, I encourage members to read about the new policy on: the DEFWEB http://intranet.defence.gov.au/pac or on the internet http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac.
  
  Go to “What’s New” and look for the reference to Living-In-Accommodation.

By Graham Howatt, Armed Forces Federation

Shortly before last Christmas, the ADF announced the introduction of a new Living In Accommodation (LIA) policy that took effect on February 10.

We understand a message was circulated far and wide but having recently returned from visits to Lavarack Barracks and RAAF Base Williams, Point Cook, together with seeking feedback from Federation representatives nationwide, it would be fair to say there was little, if any, consultation on the new policy and a serious lack of knowledge about the changes it provided.

That said, the Federation was also left in the dark and is bemused by what seems to be a lack of consideration for Members Without Dependents (MWOD), who continue to battle for equity with their married counterparts in regard to accommodation entitlements.

By now, ADF personnel should know more about the new policy and be aware that the significant change is that only members who are “required to live in” are entitled to LIA.

Members “not required to live in” have no entitlement to LIA but may apply to live in and be allocated a room if that accommodation is not needed for a member “required to live in”.

Members may be required to live in for one of the following reasons:

• They are undertaking a training course.
• They fill a specific position on base.
• They are under the age of 18 and living away from their parents.
• They are below the rank of LTCOL(E) and are either in transit or on a short visit to the locality.
• An operational reason (performing as on-duty personnel or watch keeping, posted to a seagoing billet, on unit deployment or exercise, in an Army unit with a response notice of 28 days or less, the first 12 months’ post IET).
  
  The onus for determining the LIA status of the MWOD and Member With Dependants, Separated MWDS, lies with commanding officers.
  
  If COs provide accommodation to members without an entitlement, it would be for up to 12 months and subject to review.
  
  The concern here is that each region/area CO’s perspective will be different and a consistent approach regarding the allocation of LIA throughout the ADF seems unachievable
  
  That is certainly not the case for Members With Dependants and is an area of policy that needs further attention.
  
  It was wise for the ADF to provide a transitional plan of up to 12 months and deem all those currently occupying LIA as “required to live in”.
  
  The Federation supports that initiative, but once the honeymoon period is over and, in the longer term, MWODs face a degree of uncertainty in regard to the availability of LIA without any relaxation of current Rental Allowance provisions.
  
  The Federation does not agree with that approach and suggests that the MWOD-plus-five rule be scrapped.
  
  The Federation has also suggested that as not much is known about the revised policy and the Directorate of Housing and Removals Policy needs to promulgate a series of a LIA scenarios together with a range of FAQs to better inform ADF members of their new accommodation entitlements.

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