Division 1: Evacuations

This subdivision applies to members and their dependants, authorised by the CDF if any of the following apply.

1. A member and dependants are directed to evacuate a posting location, because of an emergency.
2. A member's dependants are given the option to voluntarily depart from the location.

This subdivision does not apply to a person who is eligible to receive benefits under Chapter 14A Part 1.

1. An evacuation period begins on the day the member or their dependant is evacuated from the posting location.
2. An evacuation period ends on one of the following.
   1. For the member — on the earlier of the following.
      1. The day the member returns to their posting location.
      2. The day the member's posting is terminated.
      3. The day the member begins living permanently in Australia or their next posting location.
   2. For their dependants — on the earlier of the following.
      1. The day the dependant returns to the posting location.
      2. The day the member leaves the posting location because of termination of the member’s posting.
      3. The day the dependant begins living permanently in Australia or at a location other than the posting location.

1. Transport for evacuation is by the means and class of travel available at short notice.
2. The member is eligible for any excess baggage charges. 

1. If a member or dependant is evacuated from the posting location, the member is eligible for the reimbursement of any of the following costs.
   
   1. The member's or dependant's accommodation at the evacuation location.
   2. Settling in allowance as if the member or dependant met all of the following.
      
      1. They were arriving at the evacuation location as if it were a posting location.
      2. They were staying in accommodation without facilities for them to prepare a cooked meal.
2. If a member or dependant is evacuated to Australia, they are eligible for two-thirds of the amount as if settling in or out. This is worked out as if the member were temporarily performing duty in Canberra for less than 21 days.

1. During an evacuation the normal long-term posting provisions under Chapter 15 apply.
2. The member must continue to pay rent and utilities contributions during the evacuation period.
3. A member continues to be eligible for utilities costs during an evacuation.

The member is eligible for the overseas living allowances, that would have applied had they not been evacuated, during the period of evacuation.

1. If a member or dependant is evacuated from the overseas posting location, the member may be reimbursed the cost of clothes and other personal items.
2. The CDF must decide it is essential for the member or dependant to buy clothes or other personal items to live at the evacuation location. The CDF must consider all of the following.
   
   1. The circumstances of the evacuation of the member or dependant.
   2. The locations involved in the evacuation.
   3. The expected duration of the evacuation.
   4. Any other factor relevant to the evacuation.

A member who is evacuated from their posting location is eligible for the storage of all of the following items for the period of the evacuation.

1. The amount a member is eligible for when moving items from one residence to another at the posting location.
2. A private vehicle owned by the member or dependant.

A member is eligible for assistance with medical, dental and hospital costs incurred at the overseas evacuation centre payable under Chapter 15 Part 5 as if the member and dependants were still at the posting location.

1. A member's child may be evacuated from the posting location to another overseas location. This section applies as if the member was on long-term posting to the other location, for the period of the evacuation.
2. If a member’s child is evacuated to a location in Australia and the child continues to study the overseas school’s curriculum, the member continues to be eligible for any of the following benefits the member was eligible for before the evacuation.
   
   1. Compulsory examination fees under section 15.6.9.
   2. Compulsory tuition fees under section 15.6.10.
   3. Excess school transport costs under section 15.6.12.
   4. Language and communication tuition under section 15.6.13.
   5. Remedial tuition under section 15.6.14.
3. The CDF can pay an amount considered reasonable for additional costs incurred as a result of distance education mode.

1. During a period of evacuation, a member may travel from the posting location to another location for a reunion visit with dependants. In this case, the member is eligible for the reimbursement of any of the following.
   
   1. Return travel by the member and dependants to the location during the period of evacuation. This is as if the travel were reunion travel under Chapter 15 Part 3 Division 3, Overseas reunion travel.
   2. Accommodation that the CDF considers suitable at the location for the period of the reunion visit. The CDF must consider all of the following.
      
      1. The cooking and dining facilities in the accommodation.
      2. If the facilities are similar to those generally available in an apartment.
      3. The services provided in the accommodation.
2. Under this section, the total period of reunion visits in a year must be no longer than the period of recreation leave accrued for a year's service at the member's posting location.

1. Chapter 16 Part 4 applies during a period of evacuation if the person remains in a hardship location.
2. Despite section 16.4.5 and section 16.4.6, if a member is evacuated to another hardship location, assisted leave travel is from that hardship location.

In this subdivision, the following apply.

Evacuation order, in relation to a posting location, has the meaning given in section 14.6.16A.

1. Evacuation order, in relation to a posting location, means any of the following.
   
   1. A direction to evacuate a member’s dependants.
   2. An option to voluntarily evacuate a member’s dependants.

   3. Any of the following that would have been made in relation to the location, if there were dependants in the location.

      1. A direction to evacuate a member’s dependants.
      2. An option to voluntarily evacuate a member’s dependants.

      ^{Note: An evacuation order is authorised under section 14.6.4.}

2. For the purpose of paragraph 1.c, the day the order is taken to be made is the day the order would have been made if the evacuation order were to have been issued.

This subdivision applies to a member who is posted to a posting location to which an evacuation order was issued, or would have been issued, on or after 25 February 2026 applies.

1. The member is eligible for additional (evacuations) recreation leave credits if they have continued to live in the posting location for 6 months from the day the evacuation order was made, or would have been made.
2. A member ceases to be eligible for additional (evacuations) recreation leave credits if the member’s dependants were permitted, or would have been permitted, to return to the posting location less than 6 months after the evacuation or was made.
3. If more than one evacuation order was made, or would have been made, in relation to the same incident, the day the first evacuation order is to apply.

Additional (evacuations) recreation leave credits under section 14.6.16C are calculated using the following formula.

additional (evacuations) recreational leave credits = 7 - (A+B)

Where:

A is the number of days of additional recreation leave credits the member accrued in connection with a non-warlike deployment in 6 months from the day this subdivision applied to the member.

1. _{Note: Additional recreation leave in connection with non-warlike deployment is provided under Chapter 17 Part 7 Division 3.}

B is the number of days of war service leave credits the member accrued in 6 months from the day this subdivision applied to the member.

1. _{Note: War service leave is provided under Chapter 5 Part 8.}

_{Note 1: The recreation leave credits are credited to the member on the day this section applies to the member.}

_{Note 2: Recreation leave credits are managed under Chapter 5 Part 4 Division 7.}