Air Force Regulations (Amendment)

Administered by Department of Defence

Legislation au F1997B00479 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1933. No. 16.

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REGULATIONS UNDER THE AIR FORCE ACT 1923.

I, THE DEPUTY OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following regulations under the Air Force Act 1923, to come into operation as from the first day of October, 1929.

Dated this first day of February, 1933.

W. H. IRVINE

Deputy of the Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

G. F. PEARCE

Minister of State for Defence.

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Amendment of Air Force Regulations.

(Statutory Rules 1927, No. 161, amended to this date.)

(Fourteenth Amendment.)

Air Board.

Regulations 24 to 30 (both inclusive) are repealed and the following regulations are inserted in their stead:—

Constitution of Air Board.

24. The Governor-General may constitute a Board of administration for the Air Force.

25.—(1.) The Air Board shall be composed of the following members:—

The Chief of the Air Staff,

The Air Member for Personnel,

The Air Member for Supply,

The Finance Member.

(2.) The Chief of the Air Staff and the Air Members for Personnel and for Supply shall be officers of the general duties branch with practical flying experience.

Functions of Air Board.

26. The Air Board shall, subject to these Regulations and to the policy laid down by the Minister, be charged with the control and administration of the Air Force.

Matters requiring Ministerial approval.

27. The Air Board shall refer for the consideration of the Minister all those matters for which Ministerial approval is normally required by regulation or the custom of the Department as well as such other matters as it deems necessary or upon which there is want of unanimity of opinion of the members of the Board.

4115.—Price 3d.


Meetings of Board; Secretary.

28.—(1.) The Air Board shall meet as often as it is considered necessary.

(2.) Three members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

(3.) The Chief of the Air Staff shall be chairman of the Board and in his absence the chair shall be taken by the senior air member present. The Chairman shall assemble meetings of the Board.

(4.) The Board may cause the attendance in a consultative capacity at meetings of such technical or other officers as it deems advisable.

(5.) There shall be a Secretary to the Air Board, who shall be an official of the department of the Secretary of the Department of Defence, who shall perform such secretarial duties as are allotted to him and who shall keep and distribute as directed all agenda, minutes, recommendations and decisions of the Board.

Rules for business.

29. The following rules shall govern the conduct of the business of the Air Board in the control and administration of the Air Force:—

(a) Matters of routine as defined by the Air Board shall be decided by and dealt with in the name of the member of the Air Board responsible who, if he thinks fit, may delegate such duties to such subordinates as he decides.

(b) Any member of the Board may refer to the Board any matter which he considers should be dealt with or decided by the Board as a whole and the Chief of the Air Staff may refer to the Board any matter dealt with by individual members of the Board if he considers them matters for consideration by the Board as a whole.

(c) The Secretary of the Air Board shall prepare an agenda for each meeting of the Board and members shall be responsible for the preparation of precis of such matters as shall be submitted by them.

(d) Every matter affecting one or both of the other defence services on which the Air Board makes a recommendation for the decision of the Minister shall be submitted through the Defence Committee to the Minister.

(e) The decisions of the Air Board and the decisions of individual members on important subjects shall be signed by the Secretary to the Board and shall be promulgated as the Air Board directs.

(f) A copy of every decision and recommendation of the Air Board made at a meeting of the Air Board shall be sent immediately after the meeting to the Minister and the Secretary of the Department of Defence.

Distribution of duties.

30.—(1.) The duties assigned to each member of the Air Board shall be such as the Minister shall decide from time to time.

(2.) The sphere of supervision of each member of the Air Board shall be on the following principles:—

(a) The Chief of the Air Staff to be senior Air Member of the Air Board; and, in particular, to be responsible for the administration of so much of the


business relating to the disposition, command, employment, organization, communications and works services of the Air Force, as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Minister;

(b) The Air Member for Personnel to be responsible for the administration of so much of the business relating to the personnel, discipline and training of the Air Force as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Minister;

(c) The Air Member for Supply to be responsible for so much of the business relating to the equipment, armament, maintenance and transport of the Air Force, and for technical inspection, as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Minister; and

(d) The Finance Member to be responsible for the control of expenditure of Air Force votes and for the business relating to pay, compensation, compilation of Parliamentary Estimates, review of proposals for new expenditure and for the redistribution of funds allotted under different sub-heads of Air Force votes.

(3.) Subject to the foregoing provisions as to the transaction of business in separate divisions the powers and duties of the Air Board may be exercised and performed by any three of their number and notwithstanding that any office, the holder of which is a member of the Air Board, is temporary vacant, provided, however, that documents may be signed on behalf of the Air Board by any two members of the Air Board.

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By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Air Force Act 1923, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, was introduced to establish the legal framework for the governance and administration of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). This Act provided the foundational structure necessary for the creation and operation of the Air Force, including the establishment of the Air Board to oversee its administration. The regulations, as detailed in Statutory Rules 1933, No. 16, further define the composition, functions, and operational protocols of the Air Board. These regulations, effective from October 1, 1929, detail the specific roles and responsibilities of the Air Board members, the process for decision-making, and the procedures for the conduct of meetings. The policy objective of these regulations is to ensure effective and efficient administration of the Air Force, subject to the overarching policy laid down by the Minister. The Air Board, consisting of the Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Member for Personnel, the Air Member for Supply, and the Finance Member, is tasked with the control and administration of the Air Force, subject to the approval of the Minister for certain matters.

Scope and Application

The Air Force Regulations 1929, made under the Air Force Act 1923, pertain to the Commonwealth of Australia and govern the administration of the Royal Australian Air Force. These regulations specifically outline the composition, functions, and procedures of the Air Board, which is responsible for the control and administration of the Air Force. The Air Board consists of the Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Member for Personnel, the Air Member for Supply, and the Finance Member, each with distinct responsibilities assigned by the Minister. The regulations detail the operational protocols, including the requirement for a quorum of three members to conduct business, the role of the Secretary in managing agendas and minutes, and the process for referring matters to the Minister for approval. The regulations also establish that decisions of the Air Board must be communicated to the Minister and the Secretary of the Department of Defence. This legislative instrument sets forth a framework that ensures the efficient administration and control of the Air Force, subject to the overarching policy laid down by the Minister.

Key Provisions

The primary provisions of the Air Force Regulations (F1997B00479) under the Air Force Act 1923 revolve around the establishment and functioning of the Air Board (regs 24-30). Regulation 24 allows the Governor-General to constitute a Board of administration for the Air Force. Regulation 25 details the composition of the Air Board, specifying that it must include the Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Member for Personnel, the Air Member for Supply, and the Finance Member, all of whom must meet certain criteria such as having practical flying experience and relevant expertise. Regulation 26 outlines the Air Board’s responsibilities, which include the control and administration of the Air Force, subject to the regulations and the Minister’s policy. Regulation 27 requires the Air Board to refer certain matters, including those needing Ministerial approval or lacking unanimous agreement, to the Minister for consideration. The obligations imposed by these regulations are primarily centred around the structure and decision-making processes of the Air Board. The Air Board must meet as often as necessary (reg 28(1)), and a quorum requires at least three members to be present (reg 28(2)). The Chief of the Air Staff is designated as the chair of the Board, with specific duties to assemble meetings and conduct business (reg 28(3)). Furthermore, the Board must ensure that any significant decisions and recommendations are documented, signed by the Secretary, and promptly communicated to the Minister and the Secretary of the Department of Defence (reg 29(f)). The distribution of duties among the Air Board members, as outlined in regulation 30, specifies their respective areas of responsibility, including administration, personnel, supply, and finance, all of which are subject to the Minister’s discretion. In terms of penalties and consequences for breaches, the regulations do not explicitly state any specific offences, penalties, or consequences. However, non-compliance with the outlined procedures and responsibilities could potentially lead to disciplinary actions, as the Air Board is mandated to manage and oversee the Air Force’s operations. Any failure to adhere to the stipulated protocols or neglect of duty could result in administrative repercussions, including reassignment or removal from their respective positions. The regulations underscore the importance of following the established procedures for the effective governance and administration of the Air Force.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.