Defence is committed to improving the lives of ADF members and their families by ensuring pay and conditions meet your needs wherever you serve.
Our monthly news update highlights the latest changes to pay, benefits, housing and other conditions of service. We'll also share improvements we're making to the website to make information easier to find.
This month’s highlights
New rental support for Sydney share arrangements
Defence has launched the Sydney Share-arrangement Rental Trial to help members posted to Sydney who share accommodation. This initiative offers support to help members manage the cost of living in one of Australia’s most expensive cities.
Read more about the Sydney Share-arrangement Rental Trial.
Updates to domestic conditions
Storage entitlements
Storage entitlements now apply only if you're staying in living-in accommodation (LIA) and were also in LIA at your previous housing benefit location.
Learn more about storage entitlements: Perform duty in a remote location.
Family categorisations
We’ve clarified the definition for accompanied resident family (ARF) partners:
- partners who have applied for, or currently hold, a temporary visa leading to permanent residency can be considered ARF partners.
- visitor visas do not meet this requirement.
Learn more about family categorisations.
Changes to travel benefits when you’re overseas
Reunion travel
We've updated reunion travel benefits to clarify:
- how many reunion travel benefits you can access based on you family circumstances
- new requirements for reunion travel to another overseas location, providing greater certainty around eligibility and planning.
Learn more about reunion travel.
Housing and relocation
Removals when transitioning
Defence will now pay for a removal within the same housing benefit location when you move out of subsidised accommodation. If you organise your own removal, Defence may also reimburse the cost (contact Toll first to confirm eligibility).
For overseas moves, Defence will cover the cost of transporting your household items and vehicles from your housing benefit location to the nearest port of exit.
Learn more about transitioning from Permanent Forces or from Reserves.
Casual meal costs in LIA
If you're staying in living-in accommodation (LIA) while on leave without pay, revised casual meal amounts will now apply to you.
Learn more about costs when you’re in LIA.
Moving your towable items
We’ve clarified that hobby or recreational vehicles don’t need to be registered or roadworthy to be towed — but the trailer used to transport them must meet registration and roadworthiness requirements.
Find out more about moving your towable items
Website improvements
Coming in 2026: New Reserves section
We're creating a dedicated section for Reservists with pay and conditions information designed specifically for you. A big thank you to the Reservists who've already shared ideas and feedback about what they'd like to see. If you have suggestions, please contact us and let us know.
Read more about the new Reserves section.
Help us improve
We’re looking for volunteers in early 2026 to participate in user testing to help us improve our website.
Have your say
If you have feedback or suggestions to help us improve your experience using our website, let us know:
- via the contact us page
- using the “Is this page useful” feature at the bottom of our web pages.
