Far removed

I QUESTION the fairness of the new policy of removing Rental Allowance (RA) entitlements from members when they deploy. The two rationales for this are that the members’ property will be more secure, and that it will be more cost-effective for the Commonwealth. 
While there is an easy monetary saving to be made by doing this, the disadvantages to the member are not so easily recorded on profit sheets. As far as securing a member’s property, shouldn’t that be the member’s decision in the same way that they will choose how to secure their premises normally?
First of all, this policy will only affect the single member.  Obviously, a Married With Dependents member will not be asked to ship his family out of their RA or DHA-provided accommodation, or to downsize, to save some dollars. Nor should they be. 
So, consider the case of a single member who has been selected to deploy to the MEAO for six months. Now, in addition to the normal stresses of preparing yourself for deployment, you need to also conduct a removal. This is not an experience enjoyed by anyone, any time, let alone when you are about to deploy somewhere which almost certainly will give some hardship. 
Secondly, think about when the member returns. After serving six months in the ‘sandpit’, instead of looking forward to returning to the creature comforts of their own place, they get to look forward to living on base. They then have the unenviable pleasure of finding another house to live in. 
So, the time spent relaxing and catching up with friends and loved ones is instead spent re-establishing a lifestyle that need not have been lost.
Using the above example, it isn’t hard to conclude that the morale and welfare of the single member is being adversely affected by this policy. Is it really worth the couple of thousand dollars for the negative impact this will have? Are we really putting our people first when we consider this policy? The current RA policy for members is good and is surely aiding retention; let’s not erode this by reducing benefits when they are most deserved.

FLTLT Damian Hehir
RAAF Base Williamtown

Director Housing and Removal Policy Adrian Wellspring responds:
The accommodation and removal arrangements for MWOD proceeding on deployment for six months or more have been identified for review early in 2007. In particular, the current arrangements need to be reviewed in light of the new living-in policy that was introduced in December 2004.

WRA claimed an injustice

THE ADF Workplace Remuneration Arrangement (WRA) was presented to the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal (DFRT) on September 27 without the support of the Armed Forces Federation of Australia.
After examining the finer details of the ADF’s submissions and taking account of the negative feedback received across the board during our consultation with members, the Federation held the firm view that it would be doing an injustice to ADF members if we did not object to the WRA, as presented.
The Federation submitted to the DFRT that in such a volatile economic climate, ADF members should not be locked into an arrangement for more than two years. We also submitted that the offer of 12.6 per cent over the proposed three-year period greatly undervalued the contributions ADF members would be expected to make regarding productivity and efficiency expectations of management.
We also drew the DFRT’s attention to continuing anomalies between the Defence Collective Agreement (DeCA) for APS employees in Defence and the WRA regarding the treatment of allowances that are considered as salary for the purposes of superannuation.
Regarding Service Allowance (last reviewed in July 2003), we submitted that the exclusion of operational tempo as a consideration in determining the amount on offer requires the ADF to present Service Allowance to the DFRT for a fundamental review during the (reduced) life of the WRA.
The Federation also remained critical of the ADF methodology used regarding member consultation and feedback, seeking to have processes standardised for the future with reconsideration by CDF regarding the members’ right to vote on their WRA.
The DFRT adjourned and will advise its decision in due course.

Graham Howatt
Armed Forces Federation of Australia
For more information, visit www.arffa.org.au or by contacting the Federation on 1800 806 861.

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