EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1982 NO. 51
ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
AMENDMENT OF THE AIR FORCE REGULATIONS
Section 12 of the Defence Amendment Act 1979 provides that the Minister may make interim determinations amending or repealing regulations. The Act also deems such interim determinations to be Statutory Rules.
Regulations 549 and 549A of the Air Force Regulations cover provisions dealing with salaries of other rank members and regulation 552 provides for the payment of good conduct increments.
The Committee of Reference for Defence Force Pay in a report dated 4 November 1981 recommended the restructure of, and increases in, salaries for certain member of the Defence Force. The Committee’s recommendations were approved by the Government on 15 December 1981.
As a consequence, the Statutory Rules repeal regulation 552 and amend regulation 549 by omitting a reference to Part I of Schedule 7 of the Defence Force (Salaries) Regulations and updating references to the Committee’s reports.
A minor amendment is made to regulation 549A by omitting several words, the purpose of which is now provided for in other legislation.
The date of effect of the amendment to regulation 549 to omit reference to Part I of Schedule 7 of the Defence Force (Salaries) Regulations is 5 November 1981.
Overview
The Air Force Regulations Amendment (Defence Force Pay Restructuring) Statutory Rules 1982 were issued under the authority of the Minister for Defence to address discrepancies and gaps identified in the remuneration structures for members of the Defence Force. Enacted in 1982, these amendments were a direct response to the recommendations of the Committee of Reference for Defence Force Pay, which had been approved by the government on 15 December 1981. The policy objective of these amendments was to implement the restructuring and increases in salaries for certain Defence Force members as recommended by the committee. These changes involved repealing regulation 552, which dealt with the payment of good conduct increments, and amending regulation 549 by removing references to Part I of Schedule 7 of the Defence Force (Salaries) Regulations and updating references to the committee’s reports. Additionally, a minor amendment was made to regulation 549A by omitting several words, which were now addressed in other legislation.
Scope and Application
The Air Force Regulations Amendment (Salaries) Regulations 1982, issued under the authority of the Minister for Defence, make interim changes to the Air Force Regulations 1959 concerning the remuneration of other rank members within the Defence Force. These amendments follow the government's acceptance of the recommendations made by the Committee of Reference for Defence Force Pay on 15 December 1981, which included restructuring and increasing salaries for specific members of the Defence Force. Regulation 549 is amended to remove the reference to Part I of Schedule 7 of the Defence Force (Salaries) Regulations, and references to the Committee's reports are updated. Regulation 552 is repealed, and a minor adjustment is made to regulation 549A to omit several words that are now governed by other legislation. The amendments to regulation 549 took effect on 5 November 1981. The regulations apply to other rank members of the Air Force and those responsible for administering their salaries and increments, within the jurisdictional scope of the Commonwealth of Australia. The changes are made under the authority granted by the Defence Amendment Act 1979, which allows the Minister to issue interim determinations that amend or repeal regulations, deemed to be Statutory Rules.
Key Provisions
The key provisions of this Statutory Rule revolve around amendments to the Air Force Regulations, particularly concerning the salaries of other rank members and the payment of good conduct increments. Regulation 549, which pertains to the salaries of other rank members, is amended by removing a reference to Part I of Schedule 7 of the Defence Force (Salaries) Regulations, and updating references to the Committee’s reports. Regulation 549A also undergoes a minor amendment by omitting several words that are now covered under other legislation. Regulation 552, which originally provided for the payment of good conduct increments, is repealed entirely (regs 549, 549A and 552).
The amendments impose several obligations on the parties governed by these regulations. The Air Force must now implement the updated salary structures and payment provisions as per the new regulations. This includes ensuring that all salary adjustments and good conduct increment payments are made in accordance with the revised regulatory framework. Additionally, the Air Force is required to ensure that the changes made to the regulations are properly communicated to all relevant personnel and stakeholders.
Failure to comply with these regulations may result in civil or criminal penalties. While the specific penalties are not detailed within the text, breaches of Defence-related regulations can typically result in significant consequences. For instance, non-compliance with salary provisions could lead to financial penalties, or in more severe cases, disciplinary action against personnel responsible for the oversight of these matters. It is important for all parties to adhere to the updated regulations to avoid any potential legal repercussions.