Division 2: Civil practice support allowance

The purpose of civil practice support allowance is to help medical officers in the Reserves with the costs of maintaining their civil medical practices. It applies while medical officers are on short periods of continuous full-time service with a deployment.

This Division applies to a medical officer in the Reserves who volunteers and is force assigned on a deployment.

The rate of civil practice support allowance for the period of service is AUD 1,600 a week. All of the following must be met.

1. The CDF certifies that the member is on a specialist medical roster in support of a deployment or peacetime operation.
2. The member has a functioning civil medical practice.

1. A period of service is a period of continuous full-time service. The period is for not less than two weeks in an operational area on a deployment.
2. The allowance is not payable for less than two weeks in any period of service unless the CDF approves payment for a lesser period. The CDF must consider all of the following.
   
   1. The nature and period of the service.
   2. The member's experience, qualifications and skills.
   3. The likely benefit to the ADF.
3. The allowance may be paid for more than one period of service during a deployment.
4. This subsection applies to a member whose deployment ceases before the end of two weeks or the lesser period of service approved by the CDF under subsection 2. The member is eligible for a portion of the allowance for the period of service completed. However, this only occurs in any of the following situations.
   
   1. The member dies.
   2. The member becomes medically unfit and cannot complete the period of service because of physical or mental incapacity not within the member's control.
   3. The member cannot complete the period of service for reasons not in the member's control, and the CDF has agreed to that.
5. While a member is eligible for civil practice support allowance, they are not eligible for any other allowance or reimbursement under Chapters 1 to 17 for any costs they incur in connection with their absence from their civil practice.