The Defence Reserves Support Council (DRSC) promotes the benefits of Reserve service to employers and improves acceptance within the general community of Reserve service.

Commonwealth legislation, in the form of the Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Act 2001, sets out entitlements and protections that apply where persons who are rendering, or have rendered, defence service as members of the Reserves. Furthermore, in the case of NSW public sector employees, Military Leave is in general terms available in NSW Public Service Departments, the Teaching Service, the Health Service and the majority of other NSW public sector agencies, either as an award entitlement or under longstanding policy.

However, public and private sector employers are now being encouraged to take a more proactive stance by publicly pledging support to Defence Force Reservists through the Supportive Employer Program.

This program is a national initiative of the DRSC which aims to have employers publicly pledge support of the Australian Defence Force Reserve by having them display the supportive employer logo on websites or on other appropriate printed material.

A reciprocal arrangement allows for the employer’s logo to appear on the Defence Reserves Support website.

A number of NSW public sector entities have independently signed-up to the program (for example: the NSW Police Force, Fire & Rescue NSW, and Corrective Services NSW).

Following representation from the Defence Reserves Support Council, the NSW Government, as this state’s largest employer, has signed up to the Supportive Employer Program; the aim being to convey to the existing public sector workforce and prospective new employees, that employee reservists have the full support of the NSW Government.

Ministers should ensure that this memorandum is brought to the attention of all Government agencies within their portfolios so that they might consider signing on to the Supportive Employer Program in their own right.

Barry O’Farrell MP
Premier