Contents
1Name#
This instrument is the Defence Determination, Conditions of service Amendment Determination (No. 18) 2026.
2Commencement#
1. Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.
| Commencement information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
| Provisions | Commencement | Date/Details |
| 1. Sections 1 to 4 | The day the instrument is registered. | |
| 2. Schedule 1 to 5 | 5 November 2026 |
Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.
2. Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.
4 Schedules#
Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.
Schedule 1 · amendments
Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service#
| 1 | Section 1.3.1 | |
| Insert: | ||
| Best value fare means a travel fare available at the time of booking that maximises overall value for money taking into account all of the following. | ||
| a. | The lowest available cost. | |
| b. | Operational requirements. | |
| c. | Business needs. | |
| 2 | Section 9.1.5 | |
| Repeal the section, substitute: |
| A person who travels by air is eligible for the best value fare at the class of travel provided at section 9.1.9. | |
| 3 | Section 14.4.4 |
| Repeal the section. | |
| 4 | Subsection 14.4.5.2 |
| Omit “the whole-of-Australian-Government international best fare policy”, substitute “the Australian Government Travel Policy and the best value fare”. | |
| 5 | Subsection 14.4.5.3 |
| Omit “international best fare”, substitute “best value fare”. | |
| 6 | Subparagraph 15.3.42.1.a.ii |
| Omit “whole-of-Australian-Government international best fare policy”, substitute “Australian Government Travel Policy and best value fare”. | |
| 7 | Subparagraph 15.3.44.1.a.ii |
| Omit “whole-of-Australian-Government international best fare policy”, substitute “Australian Government Travel Policy and best value fare”. |
Schedule 2 · amendments
Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service#
| 1 | Subsection 4.10.4.1A |
| Omit “$3,079”, substitute “$3,171”. | |
| 2 | Subsection 16.8.3.1A (table item 7 column B) |
| Omit “52.10”, substitute “56.70”. | |
| 3 | Section 17.7.6 (table) |
| Repeal the table, substitute: |
| Item | Column AOperation | Column BSpecified area | Column CDaily rate of allowance(AUD) |
| 1. | ACCORDION | The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of the following:a. Bahrainb. Qatarc. United Arab Emirates. | 246.50 |
| 2. | ASLAN | South Sudan and its superjacent airspace. | 144.84 |
| 3. | AUGURY | The land and superjacent airspace of the following:a. Afghanistanb. Iraqc. Syria | 277.82 |
| The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of the following:a. Jordanb. United Arab Emirates. | 246.50 | ||
| 4. | BEECH | The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of the following:a. Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territoriesb. Lebanon | 208.35 |
| c. Sinai in Egypt | 144.84 | ||
| d. Jordane. United Arab Emirates. | 246.50 | ||
| 5. | FORTITUDE | The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of the following:a. Israelb. Egyptc. Jordand. Lebanone. Syria. | 208.35 |
| 6. | HYDRANTH | The area:a. Comprising the waters and superjacent airspace of the following:i. the Persian Gulfii. the Gulf of Omaniii. Arabian Sea bounded by 10 degrees north and 60 degrees east)iv. the Gulf of Adenv. the Red Sea (including the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez).b. Comprising the land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of Yemen. | 277.82 |
| The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of the following:a. Bahrainb. Qatarc. United Arab Emirates. | 246.50 | ||
| 7. | INHERENT RESOLVE | The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of the following:a. Iraq | 277.82 |
| b. Egypt | 208.35 | ||
| c. Jordand. Kuwaite. United Arab Emirates. | 246.50 | ||
| 8. | KUDU | The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of Ukraine continuously controlled by Ukraine. | 144.84 |
| 9. | MANITOU | The area comprising all sea and superjacent airspace of the following:a. the Gulf of Adenb. the Gulf of Aqabac. the Gulf of Suezd. the Red Seae. the Persian Gulff. the Gulf of Omang. the Arabian Sea north of latitude 15 degrees South and west of longitude 70 degrees Easth. the Indian Ocean north of latitude 15 degrees South and west of longitude 70 degrees East. | 277.82 |
| The area including the ports adjacent to the area in paragraphs a to h, and within a 10km radius of each port. | 246.50 | ||
| 10. | MAZURKA | Egypt between the east bank of the Suez Canal and the international boundary between Egypt and Israel established by the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel signed in Washington on 26 March 1979, and an adjoining area extending 5km into Israel. | 144.84 |
| 11. | PALADIN | The total land area, territorial waters and superjacent airspace within the internationally recognised boundaries of:a. Israelb. Egyptc. Jordand. Lebanone. Syria. | 208.35 |
| 12. | The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of Libya. | 208.35 | |
| 13. | Airborne Early Warning and Control in support of Defence Operations of the United Arab Emirates | The land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of the following:a. Bahrainb. Jordanc. Kuwaitd. Qatare. United Arab Emirates. | 246.50 |
| The area:a. Comprising the land, territorial waters and superjacent airspace of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Oman.b. Comprising the waters and superjacent airspace of the following:i. the Arabian Gulfii. the Gulf of Adeniii. the Red Seaiv. the Arabian Seav. the Indian Ocean north of latitude 10 degrees North and west of longitude 68 degrees East. | 277.82 | ||
| 14. | Any other operation in accordance with subsection 17.7.5.2 | Not applicable. | A rate approved by the Minister for Defence that is between 65.61 and 312.55. |
Schedule 3 · amendments
Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service#
| 1 | After subsection 6.5A.8.3 | |
| Add: | ||
| 4. | If a member has a hybrid or electric vehicle and is posted to any of the following locations, vehicle removal assistance for that vehicle is for only the transport of the vehicle to a location in Australia chosen by the member other than the following locations. | |
| a. | Christmas Island. | |
| b. | Cocos island. | |
| c. | Nhulunbuy. | |
| d. | Norfolk Island. | |
| e. | Thursday Island. | |
| f. | Weipa. | |
| Note 1: The location includes a Defence establishment in Australia where the vehicle is capable of being stored.Note 2: If the member chooses to move the vehicle to a storage facility, the member is responsible for the cost of storing the vehicle.Note 3: A member may be eligible for benefits under section 6.2.4 if they choose to sell the vehicle. | ||
| 5. | If subsection 4 applies, all of the following apply. | |
| a. | Vehicle removal assistance continues to apply in relation to vehicles with only a combustion engine. | |
| b. | If the member has no other vehicle, the member and their family may be eligible for travel benefits under Chapter 9 Part 2 Division 4. |
Schedule 4
Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service#
| 1 | Section 14.2.3 |
| Repeal the section, substitute: |
| This Division applies to the following persons. | |||
| a. | A member’s dependants who have been approved to live at the member’s posting location. | ||
| b. | An eligible person, as defined in section 15.3.11, taking a reunion travel benefit to an overseas location under Chapter 15 Part 3 Division 3. | ||
| 2 | Subsection 14.2.4.1 | ||
| Repeal the subsection, substitute: | |||
| 1. | A person must obtain certificates of medical and dental fitness before they depart Australia for an overseas location. | ||
| 1A. | The certificate must state that the person is fit to travel to and to live at, or visit, the overseas location. | ||
| 3 | Paragraph 14.2.4.2.a | ||
| Omit “the posting location”, substitute “, or visiting, the overseas location”. | |||
| 4 | After paragraph 15.3.12.1.d | ||
| Insert: | |||
| e. | They are not working full-time. | ||
| f. | The person has a level of dependency on the member. | ||
| 5 | Paragraph 15.3.12.2.d | ||
| Repeal the paragraph. | |||
| 6 | After subsection 15.3.14.5 | ||
| Insert: | |||
| 6. | The eligible person must have a pre-departure certificate of fitness to travel on a reunion travel benefit under this Part.Note: A pre-departure certificate of fitness is provided under section 14.2.4. | ||
| 7 | Section 15.3.16 (heading) | ||
| After “benefit”, add “‒ means of travel”. | |||
| 8 | Section 15.3.16 | ||
| After “any of the following”, add “means of travel”. | |||
| 9 | Section 15.3.17 | ||
| Repeal the section. | |||
| 10 | After paragraph 15.3.17G.1.b | ||
| Insert: | |||
| ba. | If all of the following apply — 2 reunion travel benefits. | ||
| i. | The member does not have a recognised partner. | ||
| ii. | The member has a dependent child living in Australia. | ||
| iii. | The member is not eligible for education assistance under Part 6 Division 4 for their dependent child. | ||
| 11 | Paragraph 15.3.17G.1.d (note) | ||
| Omit “paragraph 15.3.17.2.a”, substitute “paragraph 15.3.17GB.2.a”. | |||
| 12 | Subsection 15.3.17G.4 | ||
| Omit “section 15.3.17”, substitute “section 15.3.17GB”. | |||
| 13 | After section 15.3.17G | ||
| Insert: |
| 1. | A reunion travel benefit under this subdivision can be taken between the member’s posting location and the eligible person’s usual place of residence in Australia.Note 1: If the eligible person lives in another overseas location, or the eligible person is not permitted to travel to the member’s posting location, section 15.3.17GB applies.Note 2: If the eligible person lives in Australia and they visit another person in Australia, subdivision 5 applies. | |
| 2. | If a reunion travel benefit is taken to a location within Australia that is not the eligible person’s usual place of residence in Australia, the reunion travel benefit is limited to the cost of the lesser of the following. | |
| a. | The allowable travel cost as if the travel was to the eligible person’s usual place of residence in Australia. | |
| b. | The actual cost of the travel. | |
| 3. | If the actual cost of travel is higher than the cost under paragraph 2.a, the member must pay the additional costs. |
| 1. | This section applies to a member who has an eligible person who meets any of the following. | ||
| a. | The eligible person lives in another overseas location. | ||
| b. | The eligible person lives in Australia and is unable to travel to the posting location because the eligible person is not permitted at the posting location by Defence. | ||
| 2. | The member is eligible for any of the following. | ||
| a. | If the eligible person is travelling — one of the following. | ||
| i. | A reunion travel benefit between the location under paragraph 1.a and the member’s posting location. | ||
| ii. | A reunion travel benefit between Australia and a location in another overseas country where they will reunite with the member.Note: Only the allowable travel costs for the eligible person to the other overseas country will be covered. | ||
| Note: Travel under this paragraph cannot be to an overseas posting location where eligible persons are not permitted by Defence. | |||
| b. | If the member is traveling — a reunion travel benefit between their overseas posting location and a location in another country to reunite with the eligible person.Note: Only the allowable travel costs for the member to travel to the other country location will be covered. | ||
| c. | If both the member and the eligible person are travelling — a reunion travel benefit for the eligible person between their location and a location in another country where they will reunite with the member.Note: Only the allowable travel costs for the eligible person to the other overseas country will be covered. The travel undertaken by the member will be at their own cost. | ||
| Note: To avoid doubt, a reunion travel benefit taken under this section reduces the number of reunion travel benefits a member is eligible for under section 15.3.17G. | |||
| 3. | The cost of a return reunion travel benefit provided under this section is the lesser of the following. | ||
| a. | The allowable travel cost if the travel was between the member’s posting location and Australia. | ||
| b. | The actual cost of the travel. | ||
| 4. | If the actual cost of travel is higher than the cost under paragraph 3.a, the member must pay any additional costs. |
Schedule 5 · amendments
Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service#
| 1 | Subsection 1.3.28.1 |
| Omit “Resident”, substitute “Recognised”. | |
| 2 | Paragraph 3.4.3.1.d |
| Repeal the paragraph. |
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at legislation.gov.au, © Commonwealth of Australia, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Compilations may have been reformatted.