Achievements of DFA
DFA (NCGSS/NCGSF) Successes
Most issues are resolved at either a local or regional level working with families and organisations in the area. Many other issues are resolved by passing recommendations directly to CDF and the Minister for action. Working directly with families places DFA is in a unique position to represent families at a national level to effect change to policies which impact on Defence families.
DFA’s major achievements and input into policy discussion are listed below:
2009
• Appointment of six new voluntary National Delegates.
• Expansion of the DFA web portal with 3600 families registered
and over 14,000 visitors globally and 600 feedback forms filled in.
• Implementation of proactive communication to ADF families on a
variety of Defence issues, including Service specific families info.
• Launch of ‘Scouting for Defence Families’, a national partnership
with Scouts Australia and DFA especially for our unique lifestyle.
• Participation in over 250 meetings with Command, Government and Defence stakeholders around the country representing Defence family needs.
• Over 200 individual family cases spotlighted nationally resolving diverse challenges and 500 1800 family help calls responded to with success.
• National involvement in the development of Transition Support Services highlighting the role and importance of families.
• Representing families at the Personnel Steering Group. Providing tangible feedback on the development and impact of policy related to families.
• Representing families on the Defence Housing Australia Advisory
Committee.
• Held the position of Vice President – Families, Defence Force
Welfare Association. Assisting with watchdogging Gov legislation.
• Committee member on the Conditions of Service committee, with the Returned & Services League of Australia.
2008
The DFA website underwent a major redevelopment and to provide families with better access to information, organisations and networks and raise awareness of programs and support available to Defence families. The issues and challenges facing families through each stage of their life and circumstances change and the DFA website allows families to find the information and support which relate to their current circumstances.
2007
Recognising National contribution of National Delegates by providing of Negotiation and Mediation Training
Inclusion in the Superannuation Review process to include spouses needs.
Participation on the Personnel Steering Group to comment on issues affecting ADF families.
Contributions to the DCO DSTA & Strategic Review, Honours & Awards Review and the National Chaplaincy Review.
Member of the Family Support Funding Committee for allocation of DCO FSFP funds to national Defence community programs.
Involved with the RSL ‘Conditions of Service’ review & Defence Widows Inc.
Presented at Pre Command, PCC, DHA, TOLL, DCO, NWCC, ADFFSCC, ARTF & DSNG Courses and Events.
Attended launch of Op Diamond, ADF Financial Services Consumer Council, Defence Special Needs Quilt, DCO ‘Helping Kids”, National Family Week, RSL, Army Relief Trust Fund & Integrated Support Strategy.
Drafted papers/submissions on “National Consistency in Education” “National Community House Review” “Absent from Home - Respite Solutions”
Involved in the development and implementation of New Housing Classification Policy and Defence Home Owners Scheme with DHA.
Member of the ‘Child Care Expansion” committee.
Contributed to the development of Married With Dependant’s (Unaccompanied) (MWD(U)) Policy and Education Assistance Policy.
Foster ongoing positive partnerships and networks with all Defence departments, organisations, Government and community/family groups.
2006
Establishment of the DFA website, to provide feedback on policy and issues facing families, in a timely and unthreatening format. It also enables DFA to sort data by region and Service and identify any trends at an early stage.
DFA provided input and support into a number of initiatives including the Emergency Assistance to Families program, the Partners in Defence CD and information pack. DFA has continued involvement in the childcare expansion project team.
DFA requested a review of the community houses across the country to ensure that the volunteer groups are well supported and run consistently.
DFA have/are providing submissions on the MWD(U) policy review and DHOS review.
DFA representation on the FSAC committee.
DFA involvement in the changes to the DHA Board structure and how the DHA Council will be established to represent families views.
Completed training for DFA volunteers, Certificate IV in Govt, gives Exec deeper understanding of the environment they are working in.
Improved internal reporting mechanisms for DFA Executive and enhanced the reporting on feedback from families.
The development of a volunteer management strategy to support the DFA team.
2005
DFA/DCO/DEST initiative to introduce a Digital Student portfolio on CD ROM. This CD is child friendly and enables Defence children to input their reports, examples of work and be a CD history of their education. This CD also has the ability, very importantly, to produce reports to be given to the new teacher/schools upon relocation.
DFA provided full support to DCO in their submission to successfully expand the DSTA program in size into the High schools.
DFA sit on the FSFP committee and are intimately involved in deciding on the allocation of funding. DFA see this as a vitally important area as we have on the ground feedback from our network on how the community centres are running and what their needs are.
DFA were successful in obtaining recognition for the volunteers in team in the form of training for the DFA Executive. All new ND’s to DFA will be able to access training in a Certificate IV in Government – HR & Advocacy. This initiative has been well supported by Defence.
DFA developed a Corporate Plan and Communications Strategy. This has enabled DFA to focus its resources and to give full transparency of our agenda.
2004
DFA played a part in the DCO team with regard to tendering and contracting for the Defence Childcare program. DFA provided input along with Service Representatives into the Tender documentation and on what families wanted from their child care provider.
DFA provided a submission into the tender process for removals contract to ensure that families needs were included in the tender process. This input was initiated and encouraged by CSIG who were keen to get a families perspective on this important issue.
2003
Spouse Employment Program
For many years DFA had concerns about the effectiveness and use of the spouse employment program offered through the Defence Community Organisation (DCO). Many ideas were circulated and in 2003 Minister Vale announced the introduction of the SWAPP (Services Workforce Access Program for Partners), which saw employment services for spouses outsourced to an accredited employment agency that could work with all skill types rather than just the unskilled worker.
2001
Chapter 8 Nunn Review – Cashing Out of Housing
NCGSF actively consulted with the Nunn Review team in relation to many areas of Defence life and in particular, housing. Nunn Review Chapter 8 recommended the ‘cashing out’ of housing. NCGSF, and many others, were vehemently opposed to this idea and through a letter writing campaign undertaken by the Convenor, Delegates, Senior Representatives and Family Network Members the recommendations in regard to housing were rejected by Government.
1994
Department of Social Security Concerns
Changes to Government legislation saw many Defence families having to declare their rental subsidy as a fringe benefit. Many lost their family payments, Austudy and other Government allowances. Minister Punch with the help of the NCGSF and others was able to have all Defence Housing decaled “special housing”, which restored the benefits Defence families had lost.
Extra Tuition Allowance
Prior to 1994 only students in the last two years of primary school and in high school were eligible for this allowance. The NCGSF had actively pursued changes in this area for a number of years because the group believed that problems with schooling due to mobility were as likely to arise in the early years of school. Due to changes agreed to by the Department of Industrial Relations in September, the policy guidelines were extended to allow Defence children in the first four years of schooling to be eligible for Tuition Allowance.
Mobility Problems
Problems caused due to mobility were recognised by the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal (DFRT). In granting the service allowance to Defence members, the DFRT took into consideration such factors as spouse employment and the financial impact this has on Defence families.
1990
Education Allowance
In 1990 NCGSS wrote a submission on the Review of Education Allowance describing the inflexibility of that allowance.
ADF Family Support Services
In July 1990 NCGSS wrote a submission paper on the Review of the ADF Family Support Services.
Group Rental Scheme
In August 1990 NCGSS expressed concern that Defence members and their families were experiencing rent increases without an increase in pay. A survey was done and questionnaires sent out to establish the facts of the situation. A submission followed.
Education Entry Standards in Queensland
In 1990 a spouse who had 5 year old twin boys who were considered too young to attend school in Queensland contacted the NCGSS Delegate in Brisbane. The boys had already had eight months of schooling in Victoria before moving.
NCGSS successfully had the relevant State Act changed so that children who have had formal education either interstate or overseas can, at the discretion of the appropriate officials, continue their education in Queensland.
United Nations Peacekeeping Forces
In March 1991 NCGSS was asked to prepare a submission to the Senate Standing Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade on the concerns of families in regard to Australia’s involvement in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.
1989
The Needs of Young Families at HMAS Stirling
At the request of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, in June 1989 the NCGSS wrote a submission outlining the requirement for preparation of the area around HMAS Stirling to receive the influx of young families associated with the development of the base.
Extra Tuition Allowance
In October 1989 NCGSS wrote a submission on Tuition Allowance, drawing attention to its inadequacies.
Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits
In October 1989, NCGSS wrote a submission which addressed the viewpoint of the spouse, the widow and the orphan.
Drivers’ Licenses
In 1988 and 1989 NCGSS visited State and Territory Road Traffic Authorities to assist in the recognition of problems associated with drivers’ licences. Defence members and their families no longer have to change their licences within a specified time of interstate relocation.
Move of 2nd Cavalry Regiment to Darwin
NCGSS had concerns that there may have been inadequate provision made at the new base or in the existing Larrakeyah Barracks for family community facilities. On 18 May 1989 the Northern Territory Delegate of NCGSS appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works to speak about the construction of facilities for the Regiment in Darwin.
1988
Personnel Wastage in the ADF
In April 1988, the NCGSS wrote a submission and appeared before the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Defence Sub-Committee when it dealt with the above subject. NCGSS believed that it contributed to a better understanding of the issues involved.
Education of Defence Children
At the request of the responsible Minister, NCGSS contributed to a submission to the Australian Education Council entitled “Some Examples of Educational Disadvantages Experienced by Children of Service Families”.
1987
Defence Service Home Loan
NCGSS drew to the attention of relevant authorities the detriment, which serving members and certain ex-members would suffer should proposals go ahead to change the terms of the Defence Service Home Loans. Those proposals did not proceed.
Local Issues
Some examples of the type of local/regional issues that DFA (NCGSS/NCGSF) has dealt over the years are as follows.
Woodside, South Australia, 1990
Water filters were fitted to houses and in 1991 wall rails were fitted in houses with stairs. Fences were also erected around houses on main roads. Safety switches were also introduced.
Port Wakefield, South Australia
Reverse-cycle air conditioners were fitted to houses and fences erected. An isolated establishments allowance for Port Wakefield was introduced. The effectiveness of this allowance is under review by DFA in 2004.
Darwin, Northern Territory, 2001
After many attempts by various areas of Defence, the NCGSF Delegate was successful in having air-conditioning retrofitted to ensure all houses in Darwin were fully air-conditioned. This later led to the start of an Air-conditioning Allowance trial in 2002.
Singleton, New South Wales, 2001
Concerns raised by users of the Community Centre in relation to its proximity to a possible detention centre for illegal immigrants were followed up by the Delegate and resulted in the complete removal of the centre to a new, more suitable location.
Canberra, ACT, 2002
Combined efforts with the Duntroon Community Centre Management Committee but largely work undertaken by Delegate in the ACT saw the allocation of funding to build a new Community Centre on RMC Duntroon.
“Supported Families Are Supportive Families”