The Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson,
Minister for Defence
Printer friendly version
09 May 2006
Tuesday, 9 May 2006 |
061/2006 |
$194 MILLION TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN ADF PERSONNEL
The recruitment and retention of Australian Defence Force personnel is of the highest priority to the Government. Our Defence Force must be capable of attracting and keeping personnel of the highest calibre.
I am pleased to announce a further $194 million will be spent over four years on measures to grow military workforce numbers.
These measures are designed to address shortages in 25 critical trades across the Australian Defence Force and to provide temporary relief through the backfilling of vacant military positions.
A number of recruitment and retention measures have been implemented or are proposed. The package includes:
• recruitment initiatives which will increase the number of new intakes to the Australian Defence Force, especially in the critical trades ($25 million) including:
- developing recruiting strategies to improve the volume of enquiries and the conversion rate of enquiries into contracted enlistment, particularly in the critical employment categories;
- measures to increase the number of recruits entering critical categories, including the use of selected enlistment bonuses;
- measures to improve the retention of Australian Defence Force personnel beyond the completion of their Initial Period of Service or Return of Service Obligation;
- extending targeted sign-on, retention and completion bonuses to a much wider range of critical Australian Defence Force employment categories;
- overseas recruitment; and
- maintaining the Defence recruiting homepage as a popular interactive website in Australia for 17-26 year olds;
• retention and completion bonuses for critical Navy trades ($56 million);
• retention and completion bonuses for other critical trades across the three Services ($40 million). As an example, Electronics Technical junior sailors, after completion of their initial engagement period of six years, will be eligible for a completion bonus that will provide $10,000 for every year of completed service beyond the six year mark, up to a maximum of a further five years. To provide immediate attraction, the first year's bonus is split, with $5,000 being offered on acceptance and the remaining $5,000 paid at the completion of the first year;
• the implementation of the Australian Defence Force Rehabilitation Programme which is designed to reduce the impact of occupational injury and illness, thereby reducing the separation rates through fewer medical discharges ($17 million); and
• the temporary backfilling of military positions with civilian personnel in the areas of project management, logistics sustainment, personnel services and support to our bases and establishments ($56 million).
The Budget also provides funding for the next pay rise in the Workplace Remuneration Agreement for military personnel. This comes on top of the recently approved locality allowance which more appropriately recognises the Australian Defence Force requirement to be mobile and to serve in remote localities.
In a time when the Australian Defence Force is increasingly called upon to serve and deploy, a more attractive remuneration package is aimed to help attract and retain Australian Defence Force personnel.
Defence is also implementing measures agreed in the Government's response to the Military Justice Inquiry, that signal a demonstrable change in culture and to stress the ‘people first' philosophy of the Australian Defence Force.
The Australian Government values each and every individual who chooses to serve in the Australian Defence Force and is committed to ensuring our military personnel have the financial and structural support they need to serve their country with distinction.
Media contacts
| Nigel Blunden | (Dr Nelson) | 02 6277 7800 | 0407 632 931 |
| Shane Fairlie | (The Hon. Bruce Billson) | 02 6277 7820 | 0408 680 442 |
| Defence Media Liaison | 02 6265 3343 | 0408 498 664 |
Recruitment and Retention Initiatives for ADF Personnel – Supporting Information
Why is this important?
- The recruitment and retention of Australian Defence Force personnel is a high priority for the Government in order to grow military workforce numbers to the agreed strength levels and to meet operational commitments.
Who will benefit?
- The Australian community, through a fully manned Defence Force which is planned to grow by three to four thousand over the decade, including an additional 1,485 for the Army as part of the Hardened and Networked Army initiative.
- Australian Defence Force personnel and their families, through an enhanced remuneration and conditions of service package, which will include retention or completion bonuses and increases in allowances for some members. The 25 critical trades targeted by these measures are:
| Navy | Army | Air Force |
Marine Engineer Officer |
Captain |
Air Traffic Control Officer |
Weapons Electrical Engineer Officer |
Major |
Medical Officer |
Pilot |
Doctor (medical officers & health specialists) |
Environmental Health Surveyor |
Observer |
Linguist Special Duties |
|
Medical Officer |
Analyst Intelligence |
|
Seaman Officer |
Operator Petroleum |
|
Combat Systems Operator |
Technician Telecommunication Systems |
|
Electronic Warfare Linguist |
Investigator |
|
Naval Police Coxswain |
Radiographer |
|
Communications and Information Systems |
|
|
Clearance Divers |
|
|
Electronics Technician (including submariners) |
|
|
Marine Technician (including submariners) |
|
|
What funding is the Government committing to the initiative?
- The Government is committing $194.0 million to these initiatives, with Defence contributing $38.0 million of this amount as follows:
| 2006-07 $m | 2007-08 $m | 2008-09 $m | 2009-10 $m | Total $m | |
| Government Contribution | 93 | 41 | 16 | 6 | 156 |
| Defence Contribution | 1 | 8 | 18 | 11 | 38 |
| Total Cost | 94 | 49 | 34 | 17 | 194 |
What have we done in the past?
- A number of measures have been taken as part of the 2000 Defence White Paper to improve the conditions of service for serving members. These measures ensured that Defence could meet its workforce strength targets up until recent times.
- Recruitment and retention outcomes have been less favourable in the last year or so due to tight labour market conditions and emerging demographic challenges. New measures are now needed to meet workforce strength targets.
When will the initiative conclude?
- This initiative will conclude in 2009-10.
Printer
friendly version