The Alliance of Defence Service Organisations (ADSO) expresses its deep concern over the sudden appointment of a Department of Finance Deputy Secretary as Managing Director of Defence Housing Australia (DHA).
Speaking on behalf of the ADSO Alliance as its national spokesman, David Jamison said “Our fear is that the Department of Finance aims to siphon off capital and operating funds to give the Government a one-off financial windfall and in the process emasculate DHA, to the detriment of Australian Defence Force families”.
David went on to say that it has been known for a long time that Finance has been targeting ADF members and veterans, opposing efforts at every turn to improve the service conditions of ADF members. Even recently Finance fiercely opposed claims for fair indexation of ADF superannuation and adoption of a fair benchmark for the Veterans’ Disability Pension.
David stated, “The only message that can deduced from a Finance bureaucrat being appointed as Managing Director of DHA is that the Government intends to allow the Department of Finance to implement the recent Lazard review of DHA and its recommendations. That review called for its privatisation. This clearly flies in the face of good public policy when the present arrangements provide good housing for ADF families at little or no ongoing cost to the budget. It even pays an annual dividend to Finance thus offsetting the Defence Budget: A triumph of ideology over common sense!”
In expressing the ADSO Alliance’s disquiet David went on to state “Not only would such a move be detrimental to Australia’s defence capability, it would be detrimental to the ADF, whose personnel rely on having affordable and quality housing especially in the more remote areas away from their family and social support networks. That is something Defence understands but Finance refuses to accept”.
“The leadership of the ADSO Alliance thanks the outgoing Managing Director Peter Howman for his service and success in guiding the DHA to where it is today, and wish him the best in the future” said Colonel Jamison who went on to say the Alliance as a whole will be keeping a close watch on future developments with DHA.
Contacts
ADSO Campaign Co Directors Ted Chitham (0418) 733 887 and Alf Jaugietis (0438) 282 284
http://www.standto.org/
ADSO National Spokesman David Jamison (0416) 107 557
ADSO comprises:
The Defence Force Welfare Association (DFWA),
Naval Association of Australia (NAA), RAAF Association (RAAFA),
Royal Australian Regiment Corporation (RARC),
Australian Special Air Service Association (ASASA),
Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia (VVAA),
The Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex-Service Men and Women,
The Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia,
Partners of Veterans Association of Australia,
Royal Australian Armoured Corp Corporation (RAAC),
National Malaya & Borneo Veterans Association Australia (NMBVAA), and
The Defence Reserves Association (DRS) .