Australian Navy Cadets and a future Career in the Defence Force

The Victoria Division supports the concept that we should provide for training of young people in developing maritime skills for the benefit of Australia and more particularly the Royal Australian Navy and the Mercantile Marine which can offer them in later years promising maritme based careers.

The Division's previous opinion that the name given to the old Navy League Sea Cadet Corps (NLSCC) i.e. Naval 'Reserve' Cadets needed reviewing has been vindicated when on 1st April 2001 it was changed to Australian Navy Cadets.
The 1971-3 arrangements with the Naval Board for the members of the 2000+ strong Navy League Sea Cadets to join the Navy's new Naval Reserve Cadet (NRC) organistion saw the introduction of a 1971 Naval Defence Act, which modified the provisions of the 1910-1968 Naval Defence Act in relation to Cadets (the principal act subsequently cited as 1910 - 1971 Naval Defence Act).
The Navy League's 'Sea Cadets', were a civilian based maritime youth training group, started in 1920 by the NSW Branch, expanded into Victoria in 1932 and by 1950 was overseen by a national 'Australian Sea Cadet Council' with the RAN Director of Reserves as Chairman, the Navy League's Federal President as Vice Chairman together with representatives from each Navy League State Division.
The Navy League managed the overall national running of the Cadet groups and this 'Council' acted as advisor to RAN & NLA.
On 1st. Jan 1973 Navy League Sea Cadets were, by mutual agreement, totally sponsored by Navy, renamed Naval Reserve Cadets (NRC), and the joint 'Sea Cadet Council' control lapsed over time.

Cadets are encouraged to join one of the three arms of the defence force or reserves as a result of their experiences throughout their cadet training years.

The new Australian Service Cadets review was issued on 8th December 2000 and only made available in March April 2001.
The name change took place on 1st April 2001 and the first new National Australian Defence Cadet Director was appointed on the same date - Major-General Darryl Low Choy.
The Government, at that time, allocated a further $6 Million in the May 2001 budget to make the approximate budget $30 Million for the three cadet groups - Navy, Army and Air Force. Presently it is higher than this, and figures are difficult to ascertain as many functions are supported by the service arms.