In the 2019/20 Corporate Plan for the Royal Australian Navy Relief Trust Fund the Trustees determined that the intended result of the Fund was to provide benefits to eligible persons in a timely, relevant, and meaningful manner.

Performance Measurement Methodology

The Trustees determined that the Fund’s performance in achieving its intended result would be measured via surveying those who received benefits from the Fund, Commanding Officers, Personnel Officers and others who are involved in managing and/or administering recipients of Fund benefits. As part of this survey, Commanding Officers of Ships and Establishments were invited to identify any additional ways in which the Fund could provide other or greater benefits that are relevant and meaningful.

Actual Results

Feedback from recipients of benefits, Commanding Officers, Personnel Officers and others who are involved in managing and/or administering recipients of Fund benefits indicates that the Fund is providing meaningful and relevant benefits to eligible personnel in a timely manner.

Analysis of Results

Performance Criterion 1 – Timely

Source: Corporate Plan Page 3

Measurement methodology: A survey was forwarded to Commanding Officers, Personnel Officers and others who are involved in managing and/or administering recipients of the Fund asking for their assessment of the relevance of the Fund to their personnel

Results: In accordance with the RANRTF Rules and Procedures Manual, and as advertised to local agents, General Purpose loans are processed and paid within three weeks of the Principal Office’s receipt of a correctly completed loan application. In reality, most loans are paid in a much shorter timeframe than that advertised. Special Loans can generally be processed within three working days and, if the situation is urgent, can be processed and paid within the same day if the Trustees receive all necessary information required for decision making is made available to staff the application. There were no negative comments from the survey regarding timeframes for payments of loans and no suggestions to improve this element of the Fund’s business. Responses indicated that loans were processed within reasonable timeframes and expectations. Comments related to the timeliness included:

“The RTF office was efficient in processing the members’ loan at short notice, resulting in
the funds being in his account within three days”

“The Leading Seaman is brilliant with assistance and advice which promotes the loans
being actioned quickly”

Analysis: A deliberate decision was undertaken by the Trustees to advertise timelines that adequately allowed for processing times taking into account the workload of the Principal Office and the batching of the General Purpose loans. Actual timeframes for payment of loans are generally well inside the advertised times for most General Purpose loans and the Fund is extremely responsive in staffing requests for Special loans where there is an urgent requirement for the funds.

Performance Criterion 2 – Relevant and Meaningful

Source: Corporate Plan Page 3

Measurement methodology: A survey was forwarded to Commanding Officers, Personnel Officers and others who are involved in managing and/or administering recipients of the Fund asking for their assessment of the relevance and meaningfulness of the Fund’s products to their personnel.

Results: Responses to the survey were received from eight Commanding Officers and/or Personnel Officers, with the focus of the feedback primarily on the wide range of financial products and services provided by the Fund. In recent years the adoption of a more principles based approach, which enables a broader range of loan products able to be utilised across a wider span of purchase options, has shown rewards with the following comments representative of the feedback received:

“The constitution provides loans for varied reasons that is extremely broad”

“Ship’s company have shown a very positive and appreciative attitude towards the RTF
loan products available to them”

“I believe they are current to member’s needs with either the General, Special or Keeping Watch Loans”

Analysis: The feedback indicates that the products provided by the Fund are both meaningful and relevant to the recipients and provide additional assistance and support to members that are experiencing challenging and complex personal circumstances. Furthermore, the products available were also acknowledged as an important resource for Divisional staff to leverage when providing assistance options to their members.

As in previous years, eligibility for the 2019 Christmas Loan was restricted to personnel not already holding a General Purpose or Special Loan in order to manage the demand on the Fund’s limited cash reserves and to avoid potential for imposing an over burdening debt on members. The increased repayment rate for the “7 for7” loan has continued to stabilise the Fund’s cash flow and ensures that funds are available as a priority to satisfy the demand for the General Purpose loan, as the Fund’s primary product.

Analysis of the feedback indicates that the Fund, whilst doing an admirable job of ensuring its products and services are promoted and advertised appropriately, should continue to raise awareness about its products and services through regular and ongoing communications spanning a wide variety of formats.