The Hon. Mal Brough, MP
Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence
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11 May 2004
BUDGET 2004-05
MORE FUNDING TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN ADF PEOPLE
Substantial programs aimed at both attracting and retaining skilled people in the Australian Defence Force are to be extended with an additional $21.4 million in the 2004-05 Budget.
The funds will be used to build on the current $100 million a year provided for programs aimed at improving the conditions of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families and to which the Government assigned a high priority as part of its 2001 election commitments.
Assistant Defence Minister Mal Brough said the new funding will pay for the continuation of a targeted program of family focused initiatives which had been due to end in 2005-06.
"The new funding will ensure that Defence continues to have the resources required for targeted schemes which currently include the provision of child care places, ADF spouse support and Defence school transition aides," Mr Brough said
"For example, thanks to the current program, spouses of serving personnel who relocate between states now benefit from the initiative with professional career and bridging courses on offer."
"And if those personnel have school aged children they can take advantage of the professional counsellors we provide to their schools who are there to assist the children and families adapt to a new system and environment."
Mr Brough said that so far the current personnel initiatives funding has enabled the introduction of a number of successful schemes and initiatives, including:
- the ADF Reserves Enhancement Program, which, through the provision of employer support payments, has significantly increased the availability of Reserves for Defence service.
- Cadets Enhancement Program, has improved Cadet accommodation, safety management, IT resources and management, and will also be separately continued.
- a trial Rental Allowance scheme for ADF members without dependants, which has been so successful that it has been funded separately in the current Budget as a permanent accommodation option for ADF members without dependants.
- some much needed accommodation works,
- new childcare places and the establishment of other family initiatives.
"Of great success has been the Defence Child Care initiative which has brokered agreements with a number of regional Family Day Care schemes. These arrangements provide Defence families with priority access to child care placements across Australia," Mr Brough said.
"More than 240 places have been reserved for the children of serving personnel and further funds have been allocated to community groups that provide work related child care programs."
"This additional funding will allow Defence to develop further innovations and build on the current successes of the program to the benefit of ADF personnel and their families," Mr Brough said.
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