Regulations Governing the Award of the Australian Antarctic Medal
as amended
made under
Letters Patent
This compilation was prepared on 6 November 2009
taking into account Amendments of the Regulations Governing the Award of the Antarctic Medal – 1997
Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra
Short title [see Note 1]
1 These Regulations may be cited as the Australian Antarctic Medal Regulations.
Interpretation
2 In these Regulations —
Medal means the Australian Antarctic Medal and includes a clasp, or clasps, to that Medal.
Minister means the Minister of State for the time being responsible for Antarctic scientific policy and research.
Design of the Medal
3 The design of the Medal shall be as prescribed.
Conditions of award of Medal
4 (1) The Medal may be awarded to an Australian citizen or other person who has given outstanding service in scientific research or exploration, or in support of such work, in the course of, or in connection with, an Australian Antarctic expedition.
(2) An additional clasp to a Medal may be awarded from time to time to the recipient of a Medal who has given further outstanding service of the kind referred to in sub-regulation (1).
(3) Except in exceptional circumstances, the recipient of a Medal shall not have worked for less than 12 months in the Antarctic climate south of latitude 60° South or elsewhere in the Antarctic region where the rigours of Antarctic climate and terrain prevail.
(4) The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
Awards
5 (1) An award of the Medal shall be made by the Governor-General and notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette.
(2) The Medal shall not be awarded except upon the nomination of the Minister.
(3) The Minister shall appoint a Committee to consider nominations for the Medal and to make recommendations to the Minister.
Wearing of the Medal
6 The manner of wearing the Medal shall be as determined by the Governor‑General.
Designation of holder of the Medal
7 Recipients who are awarded the Medal after 2 June 1987 are entitled to have the letters ‘AAM’ placed after their names on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary.
Register of Awards
8 (1) There shall be a Registrar of awards who shall be appointed by the Governor-General and shall maintain a Register of the names of persons to whom the Medal has been awarded.
(2) The Registrar shall keep such other records relating to the award of the Medal as the Governor-General directs.
9 (1) The Governor-General may cancel the award of the Medal to a person and may restore an award so cancelled.
(2) Where an award of the Medal is cancelled, the name of the person to whom the award was made shall be erased from the Register kept for the purpose of regulation 8 and that person shall return the Medal to the Registrar.
(3) Where an award that has been cancelled is restored, the Registrar shall restore the entry in the Register that had been erased under subregulation (2).
Notes to the Regulations Governing the Award of the Australian Antarctic Medal
Note 1
The Regulations Governing the Award of the Australian Antarctic Medal (in force under Letters Patent) as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.
Table of Instruments
Title | Date of
notification
in Gazette | Date of
commencement | Application, saving or
transitional provisions |
Regulations Governing the Award of the Antarctic Medal | 24 June 1987
(see Gazette 1987, No. GN8) | 2 June 1987 | |
Amendments of the Regulations Governing the Award of the Antarctic Medal | 11 Aug 1998
(see Gazette 1998, No. S395) | 18 Dec 1997 | — |
Table of Amendments
ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted |
Provision affected | How affected |
Title................. | am. 1997 |
R. 1................. | rs. 1997 |
R. 2................. | am. 1997 |
R. 7................. | rs. 1997 |
R. 8................. | rs. 1997 |
R. 9................. | ad. 1997 |
Overview
The Australian Antarctic Medal Regulations, enacted in 1987, were established to recognise outstanding contributions to scientific research and exploration in the Antarctic region. The regulations were introduced under Letters Patent and govern the award of the Australian Antarctic Medal, including its design, conditions of award, and the process for nominations and appointments. The policy objective behind these regulations is to honour and incentivise significant work in the Antarctic region by Australian citizens or other persons. The regulations outline the criteria for eligibility, including the requirement for recipients to have worked in the Antarctic for at least 12 months, unless in exceptional circumstances. The award process involves the Governor-General, who makes the final decision based on the Minister's nomination and recommendations from an appointed committee. The regulations also detail the wearing of the medal, the designation of recipients, and the maintenance of a register of awards, allowing for the potential cancellation and restoration of awards.
Scope and Application
The Australian Antarctic Medal Regulations govern the award of the Australian Antarctic Medal to individuals who have rendered exceptional service in scientific research, exploration, or support activities related to Australian Antarctic expeditions. The Medal is primarily designated for Australian citizens, but may also be awarded to non-citizens who have made significant contributions in the Antarctic region. Recipients must typically have worked for at least 12 months in the Antarctic, south of latitude 60° South, or in regions where the Antarctic climate and terrain prevail. Awards are made by the Governor-General, on the nomination of the Minister responsible for Antarctic scientific policy and research, and following recommendations from a Committee appointed by the Minister. The Medal can be awarded posthumously, and recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters 'AAM'. The Governor-General also has the authority to cancel or restore awards, with such actions reflected in the Register of Awards maintained by a Registrar appointed by the Governor-General. The Regulations apply nationally within the Commonwealth of Australia and provide a framework for the recognition and documentation of outstanding service in the Antarctic region.
Key Provisions
The Australian Antarctic Medal Regulations, 2010 (C2010Q00050), govern the award of the Australian Antarctic Medal, providing a framework for recognising outstanding service related to Australian Antarctic expeditions. The Medal may be awarded to Australian citizens or others who have made significant contributions to scientific research, exploration, or support of such work in the Antarctic (Regulation 4(1)). The Medal may also be accompanied by clasps for further outstanding service (Regulation 4(2)). Typically, recipients must have worked for at least 12 months in the Antarctic region, though exceptions may be made (Regulation 4(3)). The Medal can also be awarded posthumously (Regulation 4(4)).
The Minister for Antarctic scientific policy and research nominates candidates for the Medal, and these nominations are considered by a Committee appointed by the Minister (Regulation 5(2) and (3)). The Governor-General formally awards the Medal, and these awards are notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (Regulation 5(1)). Recipients of the Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters 'AAM' (Regulation 7). The manner in which the Medal is worn is determined by the Governor-General (Regulation 6), and a Registrar appointed by the Governor-General maintains a Register of awardees (Regulation 8(1)). The Governor-General has the authority to cancel or restore Medal awards, with the Register being updated accordingly (Regulation 9).
Failure to comply with the provisions of these Regulations may result in the cancellation of a Medal award. When an award is cancelled, the recipient's name is removed from the Register, and the Medal must be returned to the Registrar (Regulation 9(2)). If a cancelled award is later restored, the Registrar updates the Register to reflect this change (Regulation 9(3)). While the Regulations do not explicitly state penalties for breaches, the seriousness of the offence would determine the legal consequences under applicable Australian laws.