ADF Pay DFRT Decision – ALP Statement

10 Jun 2015

WORST FEARS CONFIRMED FOR ADF PERSONNEL

ALP Statement from Gai Brodtman MP, Shadow Parlaimentary Secretary for Defence.

The Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal has confirmed that Australia’s servicemen and women will not have their pay increase fully backdated.

After public backlash over the Government’s unfair Australian Defence Force pay offer of 1.5 per cent, the Prime Minister promised to increase ADF pay by “two per cent per annum, over the life of the agreement, with effect from the next pay day.” (Media release, 4 March 2015.)

However he only promised to backdate the pay to 12 March this year, not to the start of the ADF Workplace Remuneration Arrangement, which came into effect on
6 November 2014.

Backdating the increase to 12 March instead of the beginning of the WRA does not provide the promised 2 per cent per annum over the life of the agreement.

On 2 June, the Fair Work Commission awarded a 2.5 per cent increase to the minimum wage, confirming the insult this Government has inflicted on the men and women of the ADF.

In handing down its decision yesterday, the Tribunal criticised the Government’s handling of the ADF pay debacle, stating the negotiations “should not serve as a good precedent for future WRAs”.

The Tribunal was also critical of other aspects of the ADF pay fiasco, stating that in the past “WRAs have tended to be at least equivalent to the CPI” and that “it could not have been a surprise that the below CPI quantum of pay increase in the WRA would be criticised.”

The whole ADF pay debacle has caused a significant amount of unnecessary stress and concern for our ADF personnel and their families

Labor will continue to stand up for the pay and conditions of ADF personnel.

Wednesday, 10 June 2015

Media Contact: Claire Wheaton 0422 370 036