ELIZABETH R
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 certain Australian decorations for the purpose of according recognition to members of the Defence Force and certain other persons for outstanding or meritorious achievement or devotion to duty in non- warlike situations:
KNOW YOU that We do by these Presents institute two decorations to be designated and styled, respectively, the Conspicuous Service Cross and the Conspicuous Service Medal:
AND WE DO ordain that the award of the decorations so instituted shall be 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 18 October 1989
By Her Majesty’s Command,
BOB HAWKE
Prime Minister
Schedule
Australian Conspicuous Service Decorations Regulations
Short title
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Australian Conspicuous Service Decorations Regulations.
Interpretation
2. In these Regulations —
“decoration” means:
(a) the Conspicuous Service Cross;
(b) the Conspicuous Service Medal; or
(c) a bar to the Cross or the Medal.
“Defence Force” has the same meaning as in the Defence Act 1903.
“Minister” means the Minister of State for Defence.
Conditions for award of decorations
3. (1) The Conspicuous Service Cross shall be awarded only for outstanding devotion to duty, or outstanding achievement in the application of exceptional skills, judgement or dedication, in non-warlike situations.
(2) The Conspicuous Service Medal shall be awarded for meritorious achievement or devotion to duty, in non-warlike situations.
4. Each decoration may be awarded posthumously.
5. The persons to whom a decoration may be awarded are —
(a) a member of the Defence Force; and
(b) other persons determined by the Minister for the purposes of this regulation.
6. Any subsequent award of the Conspicuous Service Cross or the Conspicuous Service Medal to the same person shall be made in the form of a bar to the Cross or the Medal as the case may be.
Making of awards
7. The award of a decoration shall be made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Minister.
Designations
8. (1) A person to whom the Conspicuous Service Cross has been awarded is entitled to have the letters “CSC” placed after the person’s name on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary.
(2) A person to whom the Conspicuous Service Medal has been awarded is entitled to have the letters “CSM” placed after the person’s name on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary.
(3) Where a person has been awarded a bar to a decoration the person is entitled to have placed after the letters prescribed by this Regulation in respect of that decoration the words “and Bar” or the words “and Bars”, as the case may be.
Design of decorations
9. The design of each decoration shall be as prescribed.
Wearing of decorations
10. The manner of wearing of decorations shall be as determined by the Governor-General.
Registrar of Awards
11. (1) There shall be a Registrar of Awards who shall be appointed by the Governor-General and who shall maintain a Register of the names of persons to whom decorations have been awarded.
(2) The Registrar shall keep such other records relating to the award of decorations as the Governor-General directs.
Cancellation and reinstatement
12. (1) The Governor-General may cancel an award of a decoration and may reinstate an award so cancelled.
(2) Where an award of a decoration is cancelled, the name of the person to whom the award was made shall be erased from the Register and the person shall return the decoration to the Registrar.
(3) Where an award that has been cancelled pursuant to sub-regulation (1) is reinstated, the Registrar shall restore the entry or entries in the Register that had been erased.
Overview
The Australian Conspicuous Service Decorations Regulations, enacted in 1989, were instituted to address the need for recognising outstanding or meritorious achievements and devotion to duty by members of the Defence Force and other eligible persons in non-warlike situations. This legislation was enacted by Queen Elizabeth II, under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia, and is administered by the Minister of State for Defence. The policy objective of the Act is to provide formal recognition and honour to individuals who demonstrate exceptional skills, judgement, or dedication in their service, thereby fostering a culture of excellence and dedication within the Defence Force and among other eligible personnel. The award of either the Conspicuous Service Cross or the Conspicuous Service Medal is made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Minister, with the design, wear, and administration of the awards strictly governed by the Regulations.
Scope and Application
The Australian Conspicuous Service Decorations Regulations, instituted under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia, establish the framework for the awarding of the Conspicuous Service Cross and the Conspicuous Service Medal to recognise outstanding or meritorious achievement and devotion to duty in non-warlike situations. These awards are applicable to members of the Defence Force and other persons as determined by the Minister, providing a means of honouring exceptional service within and outside the military framework. The regulations detail the conditions for awarding these decorations, the process for making awards, and the protocols for wearing and designating these honours. They also outline the role of the Registrar of Awards in maintaining records of recipients and the authority of the Governor-General to cancel or reinstate awards. The application of these regulations extends across the Commonwealth of Australia, encompassing federal and potentially state or territory contexts where members of the Defence Force are involved.
Key Provisions
The Australian Conspicuous Service Decorations Regulations (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations) establish the framework for the awarding of the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) and the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM). The primary sections of the Regulations that govern these awards include the conditions for the award of decorations (section 3), the persons eligible for such awards (section 5), and the manner of making these awards (section 7). Section 3 specifies that the CSC is awarded for outstanding devotion to duty or exceptional skills, judgement, or dedication in non-warlike situations, whereas the CSM is awarded for meritorious achievement or devotion to duty in the same context. Both decorations can be awarded posthumously, as outlined in section 4. Eligibility for these awards is confined to members of the Defence Force and other persons determined by the Minister, as stated in section 5.
The Regulations impose several obligations on the parties involved. The award of a decoration, whether the CSC or the CSM, must be made by the Governor-General upon the recommendation of the Minister, as specified in section 7. The recipients of these decorations are entitled to use specific post-nominal letters, with “CSC” for the Conspicuous Service Cross and “CSM” for the Conspicuous Service Medal, as outlined in section 8. Furthermore, section 11 establishes the role of the Registrar of Awards, who is appointed by the Governor-General and is responsible for maintaining a Register of award recipients and other related records.
The Regulations also outline consequences for breaches, although specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences are not detailed within the text provided. However, section 12 empowers the Governor-General to cancel an award of a decoration, with the recipient required to return the decoration to the Registrar and have their name erased from the Register. This cancellation and subsequent reinstatement process ensures the integrity of the awards system and allows for rectifications when necessary.