Remote Locality Leave Travel Entitlements

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31st May 2010, 03:05pm - Views: 709





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SENATOR JOHN FAULKNER

Minister for Defence




Monday, 31 May 2010  

056/2010


Remote locality leave travel entitlement


Today in Senate Estimates, Defence Minister Senator Faulkner made clear

the scope of the review of the Remote Locality Leave Travel Entitlement.


The review will not be examining or proposing any changes to District

Allowance, nor any changes to the entitlement to additional annual leave

days.


“The Government recognises the sacrifices made by ADF members when

they are posted away from family and friends to distant locations across

Australia like Darwin and Townsville without the facilities of a city like Sydney

or Melbourne” said Senator Faulkner.


“The Government is committed to ensuring members are able to remain in

contact with family and friends elsewhere while posted to remote locations.”


There are three components of the package of benefits provided to members

posted to a remote location: the ADF District Allowance, which is an annual

allowance paid to compensate members for living in a remote area; additional

annual leave days; and a Remote Locality Leave Travel entitlement, which

provides economy class travel to the nearest state capital that ADF members

can use to visit family and friends or to access services unavailable in their

remote location.


Senator Faulkner confirmed that Defence is only looking at the third

component – remote locality leave benefit – and the objective will be to ensure

that it meets the needs of our servicemen and women.  


“The review will examine options to increase the flexibility of the current

scheme. There will be no changes to the scheme that will adversely impact

servicemen and women in remote locations.” 


“The Government recognises the unique challenges of service in the ADF and

the importance of providing an attractive employment offer to ensure the

continued retention of highly skilled ADF members. I can assure ADF

Members that there will be no changes to any of these allowances or benefits

that will adversely impact our servicemen and women” Senator Faulkner said.



Transcript from Defence And Foreign Affairs Senate Estimates

Committee Hearings 31/5/2010


Senator Faulkner: I certainly don’t, Senator, want any misunderstanding

about this or any capacity for misrepresentation and that’s why I’ve said, in the

strong language that I’ve used, that the service of our ADF members in these

localities is valued and we will not see any benefits they receive adversely

affected.  You don’t like the terminology “adversely affected”? I think its clear

that we will not see them worse off.  I think that’s clear too.


Senator Johnston: 

I am trying to ask, the simplest of questions, I am

seeking the simplest of answers.  Now Darwin and Townsville will remain as

remote.  Can you please tell us this?


Senator Faulkner: They are remote and they will remain remote.


Senator Johnston:

Thankyou.


Senator Faulkner: But Senator I made that clear before.  There is only one

element that is being examined here, I’ve tried to be clear about that. 


Senator Johnston:

My mistake, my apologies to you …


Senator Faulkner:

   … but please accept what I have said, is there are three

elements to the remote locality leave entitlement, I’ve talked about the ADF

district allowance, I have said that that is an annual allowance that is payable

to members to compensate them for living in remote locations, if I’ve said

once, I’ve said it five times here at this committee hearing. There will be no

change.


I don’t want, Senator, a situation, and I wouldn’t suggest for a moment that

you’d do this, but I don’t want a situation where anybody could misinterpret

this and I think it is important in terms of ensuring that there can be no

misrepresentation.  There has been some inaccurate reporting of this and I

did want to take the opportunity to clear it up.  


Senator Johnson: Thank you, Minister.


Senator Faulkner: And I hope that is clear Senator.  Very clear.


ends


Media contacts:

Colin Campbell (John Faulkner):

02 6277 7800 or 0407 787 181

Defence Media

02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664






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