EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1983 NO 63
ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
AIR FORCE REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
The Air Force Regulations, made under the Air Force Act 1923, provide for various matters relating to the administration of the Air Force.
Regulation 88 of the Air Force Regulations prescribes ages for the compulsory retirement of officers of the Air Force.
This Statutory Rule amends regulation 88 to reduce the compulsory retirement ages prescribed for some senior officers.
In the table to sub-regulation 88(1), an age of 57 was prescribed for an air vice-marshal in the General Duties Branch and 60 for an air vice-marshal in other branches. The age prescribed for an air commodore or group captain in the General Duties Branch was 55. In other branches, the age prescribed for an air commodore was 58 and, for a group captain, was 57.
Regulation 1 of this Statutory Rule amends the table to sub-regulation 88(1) to prescribe a compulsory retirement age of 57 for all air vice-marshals and 55 for all air commodores and group captains.
Regulation 3 of this Statutory Rule enables officers whose retirement ages are affected by the amendment to elect to serve until attaining their former compulsory retirement age where that is greater than the new age. The former, higher, retirement age continues to be the prescribed retirement age for an officer who has already passed the new, lower, retirement age for his rank.
Regulation 2 of this Statutory Rule contains an unrelated amendment to substitute the amount of $144.04 for $114.04 in item 5 of Schedule 5 to the Air Force Regulations.
Schedule 5 prescribes the rates at which the cost of hospital treatment may be recovered from a member who has an enforceable claim against a third party for the injury which led to the provision of treatment. The amendment was necessary to correct a printing error in Statutory Rules 1982 No 221, which added Schedule 5 to the Air Force Regulations.
The amendments have effect from the date of gazettal of the Statutory Rule.