Defence Determination 2017/5, Overseas reunion travel – amendment (Cth)
Defence Determination 2017/5, Overseas reunion travel – amendment
| I, LISA ANNETTE ARNOLD, Acting Assistant Secretary People Policy and Employment Conditions, make this Determination under section 58B of the Defence Act 1903. Dated 17 February 2017 L A ARNOLD Defence People Group |
1 | Citation |
| 1. | This Determination is Defence Determination 2017/5, Overseas reunion travel – amendment. |
| 2. | This Determination may also be cited as Defence Determination 2017/5. |
| 2 | Commencement |
| 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 of this instrument | The day after this instrument is registered. | |
| 2. Section 5 of this instrument | 9 March 2017 | |
| 3. Section 6 of this instrument | 6 July 2016 | |
| Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made.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. |
| 3 | Authority |
| This instrument is made under section 58B of the Defence Act 1903. | |
| 4 | Amendment |
| Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service, as amended,1 is amended as set out in this Determination. | |
| 5 | Section 15.3.15 (Cost of escort for child) |
| Repeal the section, substitute: |
15.3.15 Costs for escort for child – USA or Canada
| 1. | This section applies to a member posted to the USA or Canada whose child is unable to travel without an adult on some legs of the journey on a reunion visit. This may occur when airlines are unable to ensure a child's safe transfer between flights. The member may be eligible for assistance with the cost of travel for an adult to escort the child on these legs. |
| 2. | A member may be eligible for benefits under subsection 3, if all the following apply. | ||
| a. | The member is on a long-term posting in the USA or Canada. | ||
| b. | The member has been authorised a reunion visit for a dependant child under 15 years old. | ||
| c. | Carriers will not ensure the child's safe transfer between the international flight to or from Australia and one of the following unavoidable flights. | ||
| i. | A domestic flight within the USA or Canada. | ||
| ii. | An international flight between the USA and Canada. | ||
| d. | The child is not already being accompanied by an adult. | ||
| 3. | The member is eligible for allowable travel costs for the journeys set out in the following table. | ||
Item When the child... the member is eligible for the escort to travel... 1. travels to the member's posting location both of the following journeys. a. From the posting location to meet the child at the international airport where the child can no longer travel unaccompanied. b. From the international airport to escort the child back to the posting location. 2. returns home both of the following journeys. a. From the posting location to escort the child to the international airport from which the child will travel home.
Note: The purpose is for the escort to make sure the child boards safely on the flight back home.
b. From the international airport back to the posting location.
| Example: A member's 12 year old dependant is approved a reunion visit to Seattle. The child is booked on an international flight from Sydney to Los Angeles and a domestic flight from Los Angeles to Seattle. The child cannot transfer safely between the two flights because the international (United) and domestic (Skywest) airlines do not provide an unaccompanied minor service for transfers between different airlines. The member's adult child lives at the posting location and escorts the child from Los Angeles to Seattle. The member is eligible for allowable travel costs for their adult child to travel return between Seattle and Los Angeles. They are also eligible for the escort to make the same journey when the child returns home. | ||
| 4. | The escort must be a person over 18 years old and one of the following. | |
| a. | The member. | |
| b. | Family of the member. | |
| c. | An adult at the posting location chosen by the member. | |
| 5. | The escort may accompany more than one dependant at a time. |
| 6. | Accommodation, meals and incidentals costs will not be paid under this section. |
| 6 | Section 15.3.15 (Cost of escort for child) |
| At the end of the section, add: |
15.3.15A Costs for escort for child – Marshall Islands
| 1. | This section applies to a member posted to Marshall Islands whose child is unable to travel without an adult on some legs of the journey on a reunion visit. This is because there are no direct flights from Australia and an overnight stopover is unavoidable. The child cannot stay in accommodation without an adult carer. The member may be eligible for assistance for an adult to accompany the child on the necessary legs of the journey. | |
| 2. | A member may be eligible for benefits under subsection 3, if all the following apply. | |
| a. | The member is on a long-term posting to the Marshall Islands. | |
| b. | The member has been authorised a reunion visit for a dependant under 18 years old. | |
| c. | A stopover for one or more nights is unavoidable. | |
| d. | The child is not already being accompanied by an adult. | |
| 3. | The member is eligible for the following travel costs. | |
| a. | Allowable travel costs for the journeys set out in the following table. | |
Item When the child... the member is eligible for the escort to travel... 1. travels to the member's posting location both of the following journeys. a. From the posting location to meet the child at the international airport where the child can no longer travel unaccompanied. b. From the international airport to escort the child back to the posting location. 2. returns home both of the following journeys. a. From the posting location to escort the child to the international airport from which the child will travel home.
Note: The escort makes sure the child boards safely on the flight back home.
b. From the international airport back to the posting location.
| b. | The reasonable cost of accommodation for the required length of stay. |
| Example: A member's 17 year old dependant is approved a reunion visit to Marshall Islands. Flights to Marshall Islands are only available from Hawaii and only depart three times a week. This means an overnight stay in Hawaii is unavoidable. USA law does not permit a child under 18 to stay in accommodation without an adult. The member is eligible for allowable travel costs to travel return from Marshall Islands to Hawaii. The member is also eligible for reasonable accommodation costs in Hawaii. Note: The availability of flights may mean the member may have to arrive in Hawaii before the child. The member is eligible for accommodation costs for those nights as well as the nights the escort is required to stay with the child. | ||
| 4. | The escort must be a person over 18 years old and one of the following. | |
| a. | The member. | |
| b. | Family of the member. | |
| c. | An adult at the posting location chosen by the member. | |
| 5. | The escort may accompany more than one dependant at a time. | |
| 6. | Meals and incidentals costs will not be paid under this section. | |
| NOTE | |
| 1. | Defence Determination 2016/19 as amended to date. For previous amendments see Note to Defence Determination 2017/1 and amendments made by Defence Determination 2017/1, 2, 3 and 4. |
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