Ambulance Service Medal Regulations

Administered by Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Legislation au C2010Q00066 In force Prerogative Instrument

Legislation content

 

ELIZABETH R

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:

TO ALL to whom these Presents shall come,  

GREETING:

WHEREAS it is desirable that there be instituted an Australian medal for the purpose of according recognition to members of Australian ambulance services for distinguished service:

KNOW YOU that We do, by these Presents, institute a medal to be called the Ambulance Service Medal:

AND WE DO ordain that the award of the Ambulance Service Medal is governed by the Regulations set out in the Schedule.

IN WITNESS whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.

GIVEN under the Great Seal of Australia at Our Court at St James’s on 7 July 1999

By Her Majesty’s Command,

John Howard

Prime Minister

Schedule

Ambulance Service Medal Regulations

1 Name of regulations

  These regulations are the Ambulance Service Medal Regulations.

2 Definitions

  In these regulations:

ambulance service means a civilian ambulance service of a State or Territory of Australia.

external Territory means Norfolk Island, the Territory of Christmas Island or the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Medal means the Ambulance Service Medal.

Register means the Register maintained under paragraph 8 (2) (a).

Registrar means the Registrar of Awards appointed under subregulation 8 (1).

responsible Minister means:

 (a) for a State — the Premier of the State or a Minister of that State acting for the Premier; or

 (b) for the Australian Capital Territory or the Northern Territory — the Chief Minister of the Territory or a Minister of that Territory acting for the Chief Minister; or

 (c) for an external Territory — the Minister for the time being responsible for administering the Territory.

3 Award of the Medal

 (1) The Medal may be awarded to a person who has given distinguished service as a member of an ambulance service.

 (2) The Medal may be awarded regardless of whether the person is eligible for any other award because of the service.

 (3) However, a person who is already a holder of the Medal is not eligible for another award of the Medal.

 (4) The number of awards of the Medal for each State in a calendar year must not exceed:

 (a) one award for each 1,000, or part of 1,000, full-time permanent members of the ambulance service, or combined ambulance services, of the State; and

 (b) one award for each 5,000, or part of 5,000, part-time members, volunteers or auxiliary members of the ambulance service, or combined ambulance services, of the State; and

 (c) one additional award to a full-time permanent member, part-time member, volunteer or auxiliary member.

 (5) The number of members of the ambulance service, or combined ambulance services, of a State is the number of members serving on 30 June before the calendar year in which an award of the Medal is made.

 (6) One Medal may be awarded in a calendar year for the Australian Capital Territory.

 (7) One Medal may be awarded in a calendar year for the Northern Territory

 (8) One Medal may be awarded in a calendar year for all of the external Territories.

4 Making of Awards

  An award of the Medal must be:

 (a) made by the Governor-General, on the nomination of a responsible Minister; and

 (b) notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette.

5 Design of the Medal

  The design of the Medal is as determined by the Governor-General.

6 Wearing of the Medal

  The manner of wearing of the Medal is as determined by the Governor‑General.

7 Designation of holders of the Medal

  A person to whom the Medal has been awarded is entitled to have the letters ‘ASM’ placed after his or her name on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary.

8 Registrar of Awards

 (1) The Governor-General must appoint a Registrar of Awards.

 (2) The Registrar must:

 (a) maintain a Register of the names of persons to whom the Medal has been awarded; and

 (b) keep such other records relating to the award of the Medal as the Governor-General directs.

9 Cancellation of award

 (1) On the recommendation of a responsible Minister, the Governor-General may cancel an award made under these regulations.

 (2) If an award of the Medal is cancelled:

 (a) the Registrar must strike from the Register the entry relating to the award; and

 (b) the person holding the Medal must return the Medal to the Registrar.

10 Reinstatement of award

 (1) On the recommendation of a responsible Minister, the Governor-General may reinstate an award that has been cancelled.

 (2) If an award is reinstated, the Registrar must:

 (a) restore the entry that was struck from the Register; and

 (b) return the Medal.

 

Overview

The Ambulance Service Medal Regulations, enacted in 1999, were introduced to recognise and honour the distinguished service of members of Australian ambulance services. These regulations were established under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia and were issued under the Great Seal by the then Prime Minister, John Howard. The policy objective of these regulations is to provide a formal mechanism for the recognition of exceptional service within Australia's ambulance services, ensuring that those who have made significant contributions are duly acknowledged. The Ambulance Service Medal is awarded by the Governor-General on the nomination of a responsible Minister and is subject to specific criteria regarding the number of awards per state or territory, with provisions for additional awards under certain circumstances. The design, wear, and administration of the medal, including the maintenance of a register of recipients, are also outlined within these regulations.

Scope and Application

The Ambulance Service Medal Regulations establish a framework for the awarding of the Ambulance Service Medal to recognise distinguished service by members of civilian ambulance services across Australia. The Medal is applicable to individuals who have served as full-time permanent, part-time, volunteer, or auxiliary members in ambulance services of states, territories, and external territories, including Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The award is governed by specific criteria, such as the number of full-time and part-time members in each jurisdiction, ensuring a balanced distribution of awards. Each state and territory can receive a limited number of awards annually, with additional provisions for the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, and the external territories. The award process involves nomination by a responsible Minister and subsequent approval by the Governor-General, with the award being notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. The design, wear, and designation of the Medal are all determined by the Governor-General, and the Registrar of Awards maintains a register of recipients. The regulations also provide for the cancellation and reinstatement of awards based on recommendations from the responsible Minister.

Key Provisions

The Ambulance Service Medal Regulations, which are a part of the C2010Q00066 legislation, outline the criteria and procedures for the awarding of the Ambulance Service Medal. The primary sections (3) establish the eligibility criteria for the Medal, stating that it may be awarded to individuals who have provided distinguished service as part of an ambulance service. It is crucial to note that a person cannot receive the Medal if they already hold it, as specified in section 3(3). Furthermore, section 4 delineates the specific number of awards that can be given annually, based on the size of the ambulance service in each state or territory. The regulations impose several obligations on the parties involved in the award process. For instance, section 4(a) mandates that the Governor-General, upon the nomination of a responsible Minister, must make the award of the Medal. Additionally, section 8(1) requires the Governor-General to appoint a Registrar of Awards who must maintain a Register of all individuals to whom the Medal has been awarded, as outlined in section 8(2)(a). The design of the Medal and the manner of wearing it are determined by the Governor-General, as per sections 5 and 6, respectively. In terms of consequences for breaches, the legislation does not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties. However, section 9(1) allows the Governor-General to cancel an award on the recommendation of a responsible Minister, which necessitates the striking of the award from the Register by the Registrar and the return of the Medal by the recipient, as per section 9(2). Conversely, section 10 permits the Governor-General to reinstate a cancelled award, which entails the restoration of the entry in the Register and the return of the Medal, according to section 10(2).

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Administrative Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Offence Provisions
Licensing & Registration

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

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.