(1) Under what circumstances can the Australian Defence Force refuse personnel permission to take long service leave within a reasonable time of them becoming entitled to it.

(2) How many personnel were estimated to have taken long service leave in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98 and (d) 1998-99.

(3) Is data kept on the number of long service leave applications that are rejected or deferred; if so, what are the details for the most recent reporting year.

(4) Are there Medicare levy taxation implications if personnel are paid their accumulated long service leave entitlements on retirement; if so what are the details.

(1) Each application for long service leave is considered on its individual merits, taking into account both the purpose for which leave is sought and Service operational requirements, including the practicality of satisfactory relief arrangements for the period of the absence. In short, long service leave can be refused where the operational requirements of the Service so dictate.

(2) The following estimates are provided from known data:

(a) 235

(b) 2180

(c) 2980

(d) 3180

(3) No. Data is not available in respect of applications which are rejected at, or not processed beyond, unit level.

(4) Defence Force personnel are generally exempt from the levy because they have access to free medical and dental treatment during their service. However, families of members are not similarly covered and therefore members with families are liable to pay half of the standard Medicare levy (0.75%).

When payments are made in lieu of long service leave on separation from the Service, the half rate levy is applied only to those personnel who are liable for the levy deduction from their normal salary in respect of family coverage. No levy deduction is applied to single members.