Key events
A cash bonus scheme to keep people in the military will be expanded as part of a $600m workforce strategy.
The Albanese government is due to announce a recruitment and retention package, in addition to releasing the 2024 defence workforce plan.
In an attempt to reduce the thousands of people leaving the Australian defence force, the government in 2023 launched a trial of $50,000 bonus payments for permanent personnel near the end of their initial mandatory period of service if they committed to the military for another three years.
The scheme has been a success, with an uptake rate of almost 80% and more than 3,100 junior rank personnel choosing to stay.
So the government has decided to extend the bonus to the 2027-28 financial year.
It will be reduced to $40,000 from July 2025 but expand to permanent ADF members around the seven- to nine-year service mark, to encourage career progression to middle ranks. The plan says:
These retention bonuses are short-term initiatives to alleviate pressure on the ADF’s junior and middle ranks, and address hollowness in the force.
Defence will aim to achieve “realistic growth” of a permanent ADF workforce of 69,000 by the early 2030s, with an overall workforce – including public servants – of about 100,000 by 2040.
Defence minister Richard Marles said the plan would help retain and grow a highly skilled workforce.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight news stories and then it’ll be Tory Shepherd with the main action.
A majority of voters think politicians should not accept perks of office including free tickets for concerts and sporting events, flight upgrades and VIP airline lounge access. As the political fallout of the perks row continues, our latest Guardian Essential poll of 1,131 voters could spell trouble for politicians.
Anthony Albanese and his ministers will surely be hoping that the Reserve Bank cuts the cash rate after its monthly monetary policy meeting today to ease pressure on households. But the bank is forecast to hold the rate steady at 4.35% with inflation remaining – in the view of the board – still too high. More coming up.
Also today, the Albanese government is due to announce a recruitment and retention package, in addition to releasing the 2024 defence workforce plan. It includes the extension and expansion of a scheme that pays hefty bonuses to personnel who stick with the military. More on that soon.
Much of Australia is bracing for a heatwave that could make some northern areas “the hottest place in the world” this week, according to the BoM. Temperatures across some parts of Queensland and the NT are expected to exceed 40C today, while Brisbane will be into the 30s, with Sydney getting there tomorrow. Cup day looks like being a good one with a high of 26C in Melbourne, before the mercury hits the high 30s later in the week. More coming up.
