EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1983 NO. 340
ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
AIR FORCE REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
The Air Force Regulations, made under the Air Force Act 1923, prescribe various matters relating to the administration of the Air Force.
This Statutory Rule amends various regulations providing for appointment, rank, seniority and retiring age of officers.
Regulation 1 of the Statutory Rule amends regulation 4 to delete references to the ranks of Air Cadet and Cadet Aircrew. These ranks are replaced by those of Officer Cadet and Non-commissioned Officer Cadet.
Regulation 2 of the Statutory Rule amends regulation 50 to include the new rank of Officer Cadet. A further amendment omits sub-regulation 50(3) to delete reference in that regulation to the relative seniority of officers. It is not necessary to prescribe rules for seniority as it is no longer a basis for promotion.
Regulation 3 of the Statutory Rule repeals regulation 50A, which applied the seniority provisions to female officers and is otiose following the omission of sub-regulation 50(3).
Regulation 4 of the Statutory Rule repeals the following regulations: 52, 52A, 53, 54, 54AA and 54A. These regulations, which prescribed the conditions governing the appointment of officers to various Branches of the Air Force, were incomplete. A new regulation 52 is substituted to enable the Chief of the Air Staff to determine the education, training, experience or other qualifications necessary for appointments to specified ranks, in specified parts of the Air Force, or of a specified kind.
Regulation 55 of the Air Force Regulations provides for appointments to be on probation. Regulation 5 of the Statutory Rule amends regulation 55 to increase the period of probation from 2 years to the period of initial training plus 2 years, but not to exceed 3 years in all unless the officer is an Officer Cadet. For Officer Cadets, the probationary period is the period of cadetship plus 2 years.
Regulation 6 of the Statutory Rule amends regulation 88 to include retiring ages for the new rank of Officer Cadet. The amendment prescribes 45 years as the retiring age for an Officer Cadet in the General Duties Branch, and 55 years for an Officer Cadet in other branches.
Regulation 7 of the Statutory Rule repeals regulations 97 and 97A which dealt with enlistment of Air Cadets.
Regulation 8 of the Statutory Rule amends regulation 101 to omit reference to the ranks of Air Cadet and Cadet Aircrew, and substitutes a reference to the rank of Non-commissioned Officer Cadet.
The amendments have effect from the date of gazettal of the Statutory Rule.