7.14.3 Liaison With the ADF Unit and Defence Community Organisation

Delegates must maintain close liaison with the deceased member's unit, both through the designated liaison officer in respect to coordinating the investigative aspects of the ADF inquiry, and also with the Defence Community Organisation (DCO) in respect to the welfare of the deceased's dependants.

In particular:

• The delegate may make the Defence Community Organisation (DCO) generally aware of this Department's evidentiary needs (e.g. with respect to death certificates, marriage certificates, children's birth certificates and/or evidence of a de facto relationship etc.) so that a representative of that organisation may assist or prompt the spouse or other dependants to produce these documents during a time of stress.
• The delegate may also need to liaise with the Unit to access documents, to request information on pay allotments made by the deceased, factual information about circumstances, expected time of commencing/ceasing duty on the day of the death, etc.  A delegate should also make the compensation claim process clear to the Unit, and offer a likely timetable for determination.  This liaison is to prevent - for instance - a partner from being prematurely ejected from married quarters (i.e. before any compensation which might become payable, could reasonably be expected to be paid).