Polticians eligible for boomerang award

Australia's politicians now have the opportunity to gain a special new recognition, a boomerang motif to indicate repeated participation in what was once termed "politician boot camp".

That's the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program, billed by parliamentary secretary for defence Senator David Feeney as one of the great bipartisan jewels of the federal parliament.

"Since the program's inception over 122 parliamentarians have participated in 255 attachment options," he said on Wednesday at the launch of the 2012 program.

"A continuing measure of the program's success has been the growing number of parliamentarians who have undertaken multiple attachments."

In recognition of those who have done three or more attachments, a boomerang motif has been added to Defence parliamentary program rank insignia worn by participants.

Senator Feeney said the winner with eight attachments remains NT Country Liberal Party Senator Nigel Scullion. Altogether, 29 politicians are members of the boomerang club.

This program was introduced in 2001 by the former coalition government and enjoys bipartisan support.

Initially billed as "politician boot camp", it has little to do with shrieking drill instructors compelling sweating politicians to perform push-ups.

Rather, it is intended to showcase different aspects of the Defence force in an era when fewer and fewer Australians have experienced military service.

Among the options available this year are deployments to Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, East Timor, the Solomons and to the major RIMPAC exercise in Hawaii.

Closer to home, politicians visit Defence bases and major exercises, view border protection operations and even observe the selection course for those aspiring to join the Special Air Service Regiment.

Vice Chief of the Defence Force Air Marshal Mark Binskin said participants could see at the grass roots what the young people in the Defence force did day in and day out.

"Take the chance, get in, talk to our people, get to know what they do but also give them a good idea what you do," he said.

Labor MP Julie Owens, a veteran of four attachments to the Defence force, said politicians enjoyed the privilege of looking into the lives of others in their community.

"But being able to do that with the military is perhaps one of the most extraordinary privileges of them all," she said.