9.4.23 Purpose
- Remote locations and the corresponding ADF district allowance grades are listed at Annex 4.4.A, Remote locations for ADF district allowance.
- Door-to-door travel provisions in Part 1 section 9.1.12, do not apply to remote location leave travel.
- Section 9.4.4A may limit a member’s remote location leave travel benefits.
9.4.25 Definitions
Example for transfer paragraph a: A member transfers eligibility for a trip with the result that the member's brother is provided with air travel by a commercial airline.
9.4.25A Limits on using remote location leave travel benefits
9.4.26 Scheme A – who has no resident family
Section 9.4.40 provides additional benefits for members posted to RAAF Base Tindal and section 9.4.40A provides additional benefits for members posted to Woomera.
For travel under subsection 2B between the locations under subsection 2A, only 1 travel benefit is used.
Example: A member has a travel benefit from Darwin to Adelaide. The member wants their parents to visit them in Darwin instead. The member finds a discount fare that is less than half the cost of the member's travel benefit. The member uses their travel benefit to bring both parents to Darwin.
9.4.27 Scheme A – member who has unaccompanied resident family
Section 9.4.40 provides additional benefits for members posted to RAAF Base Tindal and section 9.4.40A provides additional benefits for members posted to Woomera.
For travel under subsection 2B between the locations under subsection 2A, only 1 travel benefit is used.
Example: A member has a travel benefit from Darwin to Adelaide. The member wants their parents to visit them in Darwin instead. The member finds a discount fare that is less than half the cost of the member's travel benefit. The member uses their travel benefit to bring both parents to Darwin.
9.4.28 Scheme A – travel for unaccompanied resident family
Section 9.4.40 provides additional benefits for members posted to RAAF Base Tindal and section 9.4.40A provides additional benefits for members posted to Woomera.
For travel under subsection 2B between the locations under subsection 2A, only 1 travel benefit is used.
Regardless of where a member lives, the member does not accrue remote location leave benefits for their unaccompanied resident family if the unaccompanied resident family do not live in a remote location.
Example: A member's partner has a travel benefit from Darwin to Adelaide. The member wants their parents to visit them in Darwin instead. The member finds a discount fare that is less than half the cost of the travel benefit. They use their travel benefit to bring both parents to Darwin.
9.4.29 Basic benefit – accompanied resident family
-
Section 9.4.37 provides how a member who is part of a dual serving couple accrues benefits if they are the second person to arrive in the remote location.
-
Members who have Scheme A and Scheme B benefits can take the benefits in any order.
9.4.30 Scheme A – accompanied resident family and no unaccompanied resident family
Section 9.4.40 provides additional benefits for members posted to RAAF Base Tindal and section 9.4.40A provides additional benefits for members posted to Woomera.
For travel under subsection 2B between the locations under subsection 2A, only 1 travel benefit can be used.
Example: A member has a travel benefit from Darwin to Adelaide. The member wants their parents to visit them in Darwin instead. The member finds a discount fare that is less than half the cost of the member's travel benefit. The member uses their travel benefit to bring both parents to Darwin.
Unaccompanied travel by a child would need to comply with airline requirements.
9.4.31 Scheme B – accompanied resident family
Section 9.4.40 provides additional benefits for members posted to RAAF Base Tindal and section 9.4.40A provides additional benefits for members posted to Woomera.
Example: A member has a travel benefit from Darwin to Sydney. The member wants their parents to visit them in Darwin instead. The member transfers their travel benefit to their mother. The member's father pays his own fare.
Non-example: A member has a travel benefit from Darwin to Sydney. The member wants their parents to visit them in Darwin instead. The member finds a discount fare that is less than half the cost of the member's travel benefit. The member may not use his travel benefit to bring both parents to Darwin.
Example: A member transfers their benefit to their sister. The member lives in Darwin, and their sister lives in Geelong. The member's sister travels from Melbourne to Darwin at Commonwealth expense. Travel from Geelong to Melbourne is a private expense.
9.4.32 Scheme A – offset of benefit to another destination
Example: A member in Townsville is eligible for remote location leave travel to Brisbane. Instead the member wants to explore Cape York by car. The member may be paid vehicle allowance to the value of the journey to Brisbane.
Example: A member in Darwin claims a remote location leave travel benefit. They elect to drive to Alice Springs with their partner. They are paid vehicle allowance for the journey, to the limit of one air fare to Adelaide. The member's partner has not used a remote location leave travel benefit.
9.4.33 Schemes A and B – advances of benefit
Example: A member and their resident family apply to advance a remote location leave travel benefit for a family holiday. Soon afterwards one of their children is to turn 21, and will not be resident family. That child will not accrue a remote location leave travel benefit. The CDF may not grant an advance for the member's child.
9.4.34 Schemes A and B – lapsing of benefit
9.4.35 Schemes A and B – deferral of benefit
Example: A member has not been able to take a family holiday because work has been too busy. The member and their resident family accrue new remote location leave travel benefit, and their previous accruals would normally lapse. Instead the member applies to defer the lapsing for one year. The member is granted the deferral, after making a leave plan for the next year with their supervisor.
9.4.36 Schemes A and B – change in family circumstance
Example: Member with resident family changes category to be a member with unaccompanied resident family.
9.4.37 Schemes A and B – partner is a member
9.4.38 Schemes A and B – partner is a Defence APS employee
The Defence APS employee's workplace agreement may provide for assisted leave fares allowance for Defence APS employees and their dependants. Assisted leave fares allowance may also provide for travel from remote locations.
The partner may choose whether they lose a Scheme A or Scheme B benefit. The choice must be in writing.
Example Grade A Location: A member and their family live in Townsville. The member's partner is an APS employee in the Department of Defence. The member and their family (other than partner) are eligible for one Scheme A benefit every year. The member's partner is ineligible for RLLT however is eligible for Assisted Leave Fares Allowance upon each 12 month period of service.
Example Grade B-E Location: A member and their resident family live in Darwin. The member's partner is an APS employee in the Department of Defence. The member and their resident family are eligible for one Scheme A and one Scheme B benefit every year. The member's partner is eligible for one Scheme A or one Scheme B benefit every year.
9.4.40 Schemes A and B – Tindal travel arrangements
Example:
A member has six persons recognsied as resident family who are travelling on remote location leave travel from Tindal. The member may be paid the cost of hiring a passenger van for the journeys between Tindal and Darwin.
Example: One-way hire charges levied by the car hire company.
9.4.40A Schemes A and B – additional travel arrangements
Example: The member and their resident family need to travel from the remote location to the location with an airport that provides commercial travel. The public transport that is available for this trip is by bus. The cost of the four bus tickets is higher than the rate of vehicle allowance for the same distance. The member is eligible for vehicle allowance.
