Publication:Sea Talk Autumn 2005/Members with Dependants (Separated) Policy
Review of Members with Dependants (Separated) Policy
By Nicholas Mills Assistant Director - Domestic Conditions Policy
A working group has recently been estab lished to review existing policies on the categorisation of ADF members as Members with Dependants (Separated) (MWD(S)).
MWD(S) are members who maintain a home for dependants but are separated from those dependants for Service-recognised reasons. A case that would be granted MWD(S) cat egorisation is demonstrated in the following example:
A member of the Navy is posted to a seago ing submarine. The member's dependants are granted a Commonwealth removal to the member's home port. Because of the sepa ration required by Service, and the sea post ing, the member is categorised as a member with dependants (separated). Members granted MWD(S) status have access to a range of entitlements including housing assistance, meal allowance, reunion travel, and separation allowance.
According to Director of Service Conditions, GPCAPT John Price, the MWD(S) working group will look at the changing nature of ADF service requirements as well as chang es in the demographics and expectations of members.
"The working group will assess whether the current policy meets contemporary needs and, if appropriate, recommend changes to improve the policy," he said.
The Terms of Reference for the review include:
- Identifying the factors that impact upon a member's decision to elect not to reside with his/her dependants at the posting locality. This will include factors such as location, spouse employment opportunities and family needs.
- Examining the effect of the MWD(S) policy on the decision by members to stay in the Service. This will address questions such as "Does the option of MWD(S) cat egorisation encourage members to continue a career in the ADF?".
- Examining alternatives for providing a package of entitlements for members who elect to proceed on posting unaccompanied. The current MWD(S) policy and package of entitlements is very specific. The review will consider ways in which the policy could be managed with greater flexibility.
The working group will be using data gath ered through surveys conducted by Defence, such as the Defence Census and the Your Say surveys as part of the review.
"This data provides a useful insight into the demographics, attitudes and personal views of ADF members and their families," GPCAPT Price said. "The time and effort devoted to completing these surveys is very much appreciated.
"The working group consists of repre sentatives from Navy, Army and Air Force Headquarters, and Defence Personnel Executive. Defence Families Australia and the Armed Forces Federation of Australia have also been invited to provide comments and feedback on the review."
"I invite members and spouses to also contribute to the review, particularly those members who currently are, or have been, categorised as MWD(S).
"Any comments and/or suggestions on the MWD(S) policy would be welcome. To meet the review timeframe, we need your thoughts as soon as possible. They can be emailed to mwdreview@defence.gov.au.
