Publication:Sea Talk Summer 2007/Conditions of service update
By LCDR John Spooner
Navy has had a considerable improvement inconditions of service this year. The ongoing restructure of the ADF pay system has resulted in significant changes to the sailors’ and officers’ pay structures and arrangements.
In August the sailors’ structure was increased to 16 pay grades when qualification and skill allowances were rolled in to salary. At the same time the difference between the pay grades was increased and made consistent. For officers, the graded officer pay structure was also approved and will provide a more flexible incentive-based salary structure that clearly recognises demonstrable and enduring increases in work value by specialisation.
Now that a modern, workable, graded structure is available to all ranks, Navy is working hard to ensure that people are placed appropriately in that structure.
Defence Home Owners Assistance Scheme (DHOAS).
From Jul 1 next DHOAS will help ADF members, including Reservists, become home owners by providing increasing entitlements as members serve beyond key exit points.
The scheme provides a 37.5 per cent interest subsidy and a three tiered subsidised loan limit to a maximum of $312,000 ($470.00 per month) after 12 years permanent service or 16 years continuous reserve service from a choice of mortgage providers.
Home Purchase Assistance Scheme (HPAS)
The rate of HPAS has increased from $15,026 to $15,462. Contracts entered into for the purchase or building of a home on or after this November 15 attract the higher rate of payment. This allowance is income taxable and therefore not subject to fringe benefits tax reporting on payment summaries (group certificates).
Financial retention initiatives
The range of targeted financial retention initiatives available to Navy continues to increase. Recently introduced initiatives include:
- Military Instructor Allowance and Navy Recruit Instructor Allowance - $5000 and $10,000 respectively for each year of continuous service as an instructor. These schemes came into effect on July 1 with payments to eligible members having begun on 18 Oct 07. Navy maintains a list of eligible positions - and members posted to those positions for instructional duties, are invited to apply for the allowance by the relevant Navy training authority.
- Medical Officer Retention Benefit. Introduced in October 07, this scheme encourages LEUT and LCDR medical officers at competency levels 2 and 3 to remain in service for two or three years beyond their initial period of service.
- Individual Retention Bonus. This scheme targets individuals, positions and groups where the loss of skills, or not filling a position, will have a detrimental impact on capability, training or operations. CN has designated a number of work groups for inclusion in the scheme.
Non-financial conditions of service
Recreation leave travel
Navy members without dependents serving in remote localities now have an entitlement to recreation leave travel to their nominated family location twice in a leave year. This addresses an anomaly that previously existed and standardises the entitlement across Navy.
Mounting of medals at Commonwealth expense
CN recently ordered that the wearing of medals and ribbons on designated uniforms is compulsory. From August 3, the costs associated with court mounting original standard and miniature size medals will be met at Commonwealth expense for all permanent and active naval reserve personnel, where the services of official Defence clothing stores are used.
Permanent enlistment (PE)
CN has agreed to re-introduce permanent enlistment (PE) as the primary option for enlisting new general entry (GE) sailors into the permanent Navy.
PE for all new GE sailors will be re-introduced from Jan 08. Re-entry to the PN by ex-serving personnel will continue to be for a fixed period as determined in the terms of service offer made by DSCM.
Where to find information on conditions of service
All changes to Conditions of Service specific to Navy are posted to the DNEC website on the DRN (http://intranet.defence.gov.au/navyweb/sites/DNEC/) as soon as possible after they are approved. ADF pay and conditions information is available on the DRN (http://intranet.defence.gov.au/pac/), the internet http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac/ and the Outreach CD-ROM distributed on a regular basis to ships by Defence Personnel Executive.
