This instrument is the Defence Determination, Conditions of service Amendment (First Nations’ language allowance) Determination (No. 15) 2025.

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	9 October 2025
3. Schedule 2	6 November 2025

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made.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 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Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.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—First Nations’ language allowance amendments

Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service

1	After Chapter 4 Part 1
	Insert:

Part 3: Qualification and occupation based allowances

Division 1: First Nations’ language allowance

4.3.1 Purpose

This Division provides an allowance to Australian First Nations’ language speakers who utilise their language, interpreting skills, and application of traditional knowledge in support of named operations, Regional Force Surveillance Group on-country patrols or stakeholder negotiations on behalf of the ADF and multinational partners.

4.3.2 Definitions

	In this Division, the following apply.
	Decision maker means any of the following.
	a.	CDF.
	b.	The Chief of Army.
	c.	The member’s Commanding Officer.
	First Nations’ language skills means the ability to gather and convey information to and from an Australian First Nations’ person in a First Nations’ language understood by the person in a culturally appropriate manner.

4.3.3 Member this Division applies to

This Division applies to a member who has First Nations’ language skills.

4.3.4 Eligibility for allowance

1.	A member is eligible for First Nations’ language allowance if they meet all of the following.
	a.	The member has completed an interpreter language assessment confirming the following.
			i.	The member’s ability to interpret accurately in the target language.
			ii.	The member’s ability to maintain confidentiality of information received while interpreting.
			iii.	The member’s ability to be impartial in their interpretation of information.
	b.	The decision maker is satisfied that the member’s use of their First Nations’ language skills was essential to perform adequately any of the following to meet an operational need.
			i.	The duties of the position in which the member is employed.
			ii.	The duties of a task.
2.	Operational needs do not include incidental, ceremonial or personal uses of First Nations’ language skills that are not undertaken as a part of an operation need. Note: Uses of First Nations’ language skills that will not meet operational needs alone are greetings and Welcomes to Country.

4.3.5 Rate of allowance

The rate of the First Nations’ language allowance is $1,364.

4.3.6 Payment of allowance

1.	The First Nations’ language allowance is payable as soon as practicable after the decision maker signs the approved form.
2.	First Nations’ language allowance cannot be paid more than once within a 12 month period.
3.	For the purpose of subsection 2, the 12 month period starts on the day the member first uses their First Nations’ language skills to meet an operational need.

4.3.7 How to apply for First Nations’ language allowance

A member must use the approved form to apply for a benefit under this Division.

Schedule 2—First Nations’ language allowance rate amendments