Air Force Regulations (Amendment)

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STATUTORY RULES.

1944. No. 153.

__________

REGULATIONS UNDER THE AIR FORCE ACT 1923-1941.*

I, THE ADMINISTRATOR of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Air Force Act 1923-1941.

Dated this eighteenth day of October, 1944.

W. DUGAN.

Administrator.

By His Excellency’s Command,

 

Minister of State for Air.

_______________

Amendments of the Air Force Regulations. †

Ranks.

1. Regulation 50 of the Air Force Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (3.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation:—

“(3.) The relative seniority of officers of all branches of the Air Force shall, subject to regulations 52, 53, 55, 57, 64 and 90 of these Regulations, be determined by reference to the highest rank for the time being held, whether substantive, temporary or acting:

Provided that—

(a) substantive rank shall rank as senior to the same temporary rank, and temporary rank shall rank as senior to the same acting rank;

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on , 1944.

† Statutory Rules 1927, No. 161, as amended by Statutory Rules 1928, Nos. 52 and 109; 1929, Nos. 75 and 114; 1930; Nos. 77, 94 and 135; 1931, Nos. 3, 78 and 115; 1932; Nos. 9, 63 and 133; 1933, Nos. 16, 46, 58, 82, 89 and 117; 1934, Nos. 25, 51, 74, 81, 122 and 125; 1935, Nos. 32 and 98; 1936, No. 17; 1937, No. 21; 1938, Nos. 12, 13, 22, 48, 77, 97 and 120; 1939, Nos. 21, 64 and 142; 1940, Nos. 31, 53, 75, 114, 125, 140, 220, 241 and 279; 1941, Nos. 68, 106, 137, 181 and 228; 1942, Nos. 29, 158, 232, 254, 346, 383, 416, 440, 441, 476 and 543; 1943, Nos. 119 and 198; and 1944, Nos. 34, 50, 64, 75 and               amendment.

5508.—Price 3d.  9/6.9.1944.


(b) in the case of two or more officers holding the same acting rank, their relative seniority shall be determined in the same manner as it would be determined if none held acting rank;

(c) in the case of two or more officers holding the same temporary rank, their relative seniority shall be determined by reference to the respective dates from which their promotion to that temporary rank took effect, and, where this took effect upon the same date, their relative seniority shall be determined by the order in which their names appear in the Air Force List issued by the authority of the Air Board and for the time being in force; and

(d) in the case of two or more officers holding the same substantive rank, their relative seniority shall be determined by reference to the respective dates upon which their appointments or promotions to that rank took effect, and, where two or more of those appointments or promotions took effect upon the same date, by the order in which the officers’ names appear, in the case of first appointment, in the Gazette, and, in every other case, in the Air Force List issued by the authority of the Air Board and for the time being in force.”.

Seniority.

2. Regulation 56a of the Air Force Regulations is repealed.

Promotion of Flying Officers and above.

3. Regulation 65 of the Air Force Regulations is amended by inserting at the end of sub-regulation (1.) the words “, but in determining seniority for this purpose no regard shall be had to acting rank”.

Amendments of the Second Schedule.

4. The Second Schedule to the Air Force Regulations is amended—

(a) by inserting in Table (i) Modifications, after item (c), the following item:—

(caa)

28

Insert after the word ‘court-martial’ (wherever occurring) in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5), the words, ‘or a court of inquiry’;”;

(b) by omitting from item (h) of that Table the word and letter “paragraph (b)” and inserting in their stead the word, figure and letter “paragraph (1b)”;

(c) by omitting from item (le) of that Table the words “while wearing the uniform of the Air Force” and also the words “and that the officer or airman was at the time of arrest wearing such a uniform as aforesaid,”; and

(d) by omitting from the first paragraph of item (o) the word ‘‘Any” and also the word “any’’ (last occurring) and inserting in their stead respectively the words “All” and “all”.

Amendments of the Third Schedule.

5. The Third Schedule to the Air Force Regulations is amended—

(a) by inserting in Table (i) Modifications, after item (bg), the following item:—

“(bga)

120

Omit paragraph (D) and insert in its stead the following paragraph:—

‘(D) In any case where a sentence of death or penal servitude is passed the proceedings shall be reserved for confirmation by the officer, not being below the rank of squadron leader, field officer or flag officer, commanding the force with which the person under sentence is present at the date of his sentence, according to whether that officer is an officer of the Air Force, the Military Forces or the Naval Forces:

Provided that, where a sentence of death is passed—

(i) the confirming authority shall transmit the proceedings forthwith, after confirmation, to the officer in chief command of the forces in the field comprising the force with which the accused is present, or, if there is no such officer, to the appropriate authority empowered under the Air Force Act and those Rules to remit or commute punishments; and

(ii)if the punishment is not remitted or commuted by the last-mentioned officer or the last-mentioned authority, that officer or authority, as the case may be, shall forward the proceedings forthwith, after consideration, to the Judge-Advocate General for transmission to the Minister for submission to the Governor-General,

and the sentence shall not be carried into effect until it has also been confirmed by the Governor-General in accordance with section 98 of the Defence Act.’;”; and

(b) by inserting in that Table, after item (bh), the following item:—

(bi)

125a

Insert in sub-paragraph (G), after the word ‘under’, the words and figures Section 28 of the Air Force Act for having in relation to the court committed any of the offences mentioned in that Section or’.”.

___________________

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

 

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1944 No. 153, enacted under the Air Force Act 1923-1941, address the need for updates in the Air Force Regulations to better align with contemporary operational requirements and legal standards. This legislative instrument, created by the Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia with advice from the Federal Executive Council, introduces amendments to the Air Force Regulations with the policy objective of ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the Air Force’s administration and discipline. The changes include modifications to the relative seniority of officers, adjustments in the processes for promotion, and updates to the procedures for courts-martial and inquiries, reflecting an intention to streamline and clarify the legal framework governing the Air Force. These amendments aim to provide clearer guidelines for officer seniority, enhance the promotion criteria, and refine the disciplinary processes within the Air Force, ensuring that they are both fair and legally sound. By doing so, the legislation seeks to address gaps in the existing regulations that may have hindered the Air Force’s operational capabilities and the fair administration of justice within its ranks.

Scope and Application

The Air Force Regulations Amendment (1944) No. 153 amends the Air Force Regulations under the Air Force Act 1923-1941, impacting the hierarchy and procedures within the Australian Air Force. This legislative instrument applies to all officers and airmen within the Air Force, encompassing both substantive and temporary ranks, and dictates their relative seniority based on the rank held. The amendment alters the promotion criteria and the procedures for handling disciplinary actions, including the involvement of courts martial and courts of inquiry. Geographically, the application of these regulations is national, as they pertain to the Commonwealth of Australia, affecting all Air Force operations and personnel across the country. The regulations do not specify exclusions or exemptions but modify existing rules to clarify and streamline the process of determining seniority and handling disciplinary cases. This amendment extends the application of the Air Force Act by providing more detailed procedures and clarifications in the Air Force Regulations.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this legislation concern amendments to the Air Force Regulations, specifically focusing on the ranking structure and procedures for promotion, court-martial and inquiry proceedings, and the confirmation of sentences. Regulation 50, which dictates the relative seniority of officers, has been amended to clarify that seniority is determined by the highest rank held, whether substantive, temporary, or acting (section 1). The relative seniority of officers holding the same rank is then determined by various factors, including the dates of rank appointments and promotions, as well as their order of appearance in the Air Force List or Gazette (section 1). Regulation 56a, which dealt with seniority, is repealed (section 2), and Regulation 65, which governs the promotion of flying officers and above, is amended to exclude acting rank from seniority considerations (section 3). Amendments to the Second Schedule modify the procedures for court-martial and inquiry proceedings, and to the Third Schedule adjust the confirmation of sentences, particularly those involving death or penal servitude (sections 4 and 5). The obligations imposed by this legislation on the parties or entities it governs include adherence to the amended regulations concerning officer rank and seniority, the procedures for court-martial and inquiry proceedings, and the confirmation of sentences. The Air Force must ensure that the ranking of officers is accurately determined based on the provisions outlined in Regulation 50. It must also ensure that the procedures for court-martial and inquiry proceedings, as modified by the amendments to the Second Schedule, are followed correctly. Furthermore, the Air Force must ensure that sentences involving death or penal servitude are appropriately confirmed by the relevant authorities as outlined in the amendments to the Third Schedule. Breaches of the amended regulations may lead to civil or criminal consequences, depending on the nature and severity of the violation. Under the Air Force Act, individuals found guilty of certain offences may face penalties that include fines, imprisonment, or other forms of punishment as prescribed by law. The specific penalties for breaches of the regulations are not detailed in the legislation itself but would be determined in the context of the broader Air Force Act and associated legal frameworks.

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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.