Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2005/Defence Families of Australia
Maureen Greet, National Convenor
Childcare Decision
Defence Families Australia were involved in the tender process that resulted in ABC Corporate Care being awarded the Defence childcare contract. Now that the matter has been finalised, we will strive to ensure that all parties make every effort possible to negotiate a smooth transition for children, parents and staff. ABC Chairman Sallyanne Atkinson has agreed to work closely with us, and ABC are keen to hear our suggestions to tailor their current centres to ADF needs, such as education programs. ABC also promised a representative to attend the DFA conference.
We have had every indication that ABC will provide a greater level of service and a wider availability of quality childcare placements. The changes they plan to deliver will have a huge impact on Defence families, providing them with flexibility that was not available previously. DFA encourages families to contact the Defence Community Organisation (DCO) to find out more about the change.
We will continue to diligently monitor the changeover process; our focus will remain on ensuring that the care of our children is not compromised.
If you have any feedback, we would be very interested to hear from you.
DFA Conference
Over the past couple of months we have been publicising the DFA National Delegate Conference to be held in Canberra. You may have received an invitation to attend a meeting or you may have contacted us with your feedback.
The conference is an opportunity for delegates to evaluate family input and discuss where the focus should be for the next 12 months. DFA invites a large number of defence representatives, which cover a huge range of issues, to speak with the delegates and answer questions they may be asking on your behalf.
This includes various stakeholders including DHA, Toll, DCO, personnel from Defence responsible for Defence policy i.e. DG Personnel representatives, Directorate of Entitlements, Personnel Policy and Employment Conditions to name just a few.
Of particular focus this year will be a session on military compensation, in light of the Sea King accident. We would like DFA to be across the entitlements for families affected by this tragic event and ensure families are looked after.
As DFA Convenor I have year round direct access to Defence Chiefs and Chief of the Defence Force. However, the conference provides the delegates direct access to the groups so it becomes a grass roots approach to resolving issues.
Of course, change is not necessarily negative and by having this open forum, delegates can learn of the thinking behind decisions and take that information straight to the families affected. The national delegates leave with a wealth of tri -service knowledge that has an enormously positive impact on defence families. DFA is your voice; we represent people just like yourself. In the next edition of SeaTalk, we will bring you the conference highlights.
We have gone .org
We have moved head office and moved our e-mails over to a new supplier. Please update your contact lists to reflect the changes. Our HQ address and current contact list is to the left. For a full list of National Delegates please view our web site www.dfa.org.au or call us on 1800 100 509
Want to subscribe to our E-bulletin? - e-mail families@dfa.org.au
