ADM Chris Barrie and MAJGEN Simon Willis introduce the newest Pay and Conditions Manual for ADF Service personnel

A simple set of rules, stated Admiral Chris Barrie, as he launched the new Pay and Conditions Manual, which has been in the process for two and a half years.

And accordingly, DD and DPE met that challenge producing, as ADM Barrie outlined, a manual that reads in a user-friendly manner; 'It is easier, quicker and better,' said the Admiral.

'The new manual possesses through indexing; it reduces the volume without any policy change, in order to divest itself of duplication and the application of rules is therefore simplified. It has essentially a practical focus; assisting the end users - the end users being the people who develop and deliver entitlements.

'The project team also had the benefit of a range of views from people all around Australia, conducting a series of workshops in the process. Those views have been built into the final publication. The indexing is thorough and for the first time we have a complete summary of our ADF Conditions of Service. It is a good read; well presented and laid in plain English.

'The new manual reduces the volumes in which the rules are laid down from chapters seven to three. It does not actually change the policy effect and in my view of the world, that speaks for itself. It gets rid of duplication, overlap and a whole heap of unnecessary work - I would say there would be few other efforts to rip up red tape that would be better than this one.'

The newly integrated package, which was available on the DEFWEB early July, provides readers, including those receive the entitlements as well as those who are handing them out, with a clear understanding of Service conditions.

ADM Barrie also said, the manual while not perfect, would receive continuous improvement, though feedback from its users. He congratulated and thanked everyone involved on behalf of the Defence Force, including the Directorate of Determinations, policy staff, Personnel Policy, the Employment Conditions branch, DPE and publishing service.

By Amber McKinnon
Photograph by WO Steve Dent