ADF families to receive key housing benefits following policy changes

As ADF members grapple with housing woes, Canberra’s higher-ups have rolled out new benefits aimed at lifting the strain placed on military members and their families.

ADF members and their families are now entitled to new benefits after Defence made several key changes to housing policy. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

As ADF members grapple with defence housing woes, Canberra’s higher-ups have rolled out new benefits aimed at lifting the strain placed on military members and their families.

This month, the ADF announced three changes had been made to ease the difficulties defence families faced.

The first change is Defence will now provide removal assistance for both an ADF member and their civilian partner, if required, if there is a relationship breakdown.

Previously, only the civilian partner was entitled to removal assistance.

Defence members are permitted to live in their service residence if their family circumstance change. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Secondly, members will now have the option to continue to live in their service residence until the end of their posting, regardless of whether their family circumstances change.

Under the previous policy, if an ADF family’s situation changed – for example, a child moves interstate – their service housing eligibility would be reassessed by Defence Housing Australia within weeks.

Finally, if an ADF member dies, their family residing with them now remain eligible for housing, removal and storage benefits for up to 15 months after the death of the member.

Previously, families were only supported for up to six-months.

The policy changes comes as questions loom around defence housing availability and conditions.

Development at Lee Point, Northern Territory, has stalled, adding to frustration around Defence housing availability.

HIA NT chief executive Luis Espinoza recently told the NT News he was concerned by the Top End’s lack of development.

“I see the potential that the shifting of defence force personnel to the Top End has, but questions are still asked about where will these people and their families live?” he said.

“What schools and other services will they require? Are we simply going to put further burden on our existing old infrastructure and tired services and personnel?”

Accommodation woes have also been revealed interstate, with the Townsville Bulletin reporting soldiers living in Lavarack Barracks were evicted and forced to live in guard rooms as new troops posted in.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling (left) and Defence Minister Richard Marles have both addressed defence housing in recent weeks. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The decision was addressed by Defence Minister Richard Marles.

“Housing is an ongoing challenge, but it’s one that we feel we can meet,” he told the Townsville Bulletin.

“The growth in defence numbers here isn’t happening overnight but we do need to be making sure that we are dealing with the challenge of housing and ensuring that there is enough housing,”

In January, Solomon MP Luke Gosling maintained the Territory’s “liveability” needed to be improved if ADF families were to stay north.

“Defence forces in the north suffer high rates of transfer requests, resulting in loss of skilled personnel,” he said.

“Defence members and their families cite difficulties in spouse employment and inadequate defence housing, as well as poor access to and quality of education and health and family services.”

Originally published as ADF families to receive key housing benefits following policy changes