Australian Corrections Medal

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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

18 August 2017

It is notified for general information that Her Majesty The Queen has approved the establishment of the Australian Corrections Medal as detailed in the following Letters Patent and Regulations.

The Medal is to be worn immediately after the Emergency Services Medal.

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 correctional services for distinguished service:

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

AND WE DO ordain that the award of the Australian Corrections Medal is to be governed by the Regulations set out in the Schedule.

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

L.S...

GIVEN under the Great Seal of Australia at Our Court at St James's on 19 June 2017

OPC61332-A

Schedule

Australian Corrections Medal Regulations 2017

1 Name

These are the Australian Corrections Medal Regulations 2017.

2 Definitions

In these Regulations:

correctional service means a State or Territory civilian correctional service for adults.

correctional service member means a person who is employed or engaged by a correctional service, or by an entity that is authorised to perform functions for a correctional service, to perform primarily operational duties in relation to:

(a) the control and management of offenders in custody or in the community; or

(b) the provision of custody-based, or community-based, programs and services that support behavioural change, or address criminogenic needs, of offenders.

Medal means the Australian Corrections Medal.

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 the 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 the Territory acting for the Chief Minister.

3 Award of Medal

(1) The Medal may be awarded to a person who:

(a) has given distinguished service as a correctional service member; and

(b) was a correctional service member at the time the person was nominated for award of the Medal.

(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.

Section 4

(4) The number of awards of the Medal for each State, the Australian Capital Territory or the Northern Territory in a calendar year must not exceed:

(a) one award for each 1,000, or part of 1,000, full-time equivalent correctional service members of the State or Territory; and

(b) one additional award for each State or Territory that has more than 1,000 full-time equivalent correctional service members.

(5) The number of full-time equivalent correctional service members of a State or Territory is the number of such members performing duties on 30 June before the calendar year in which an award of the Medal is made.

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 Medal

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

6 Wearing of Medal

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

7 Designation of holders of Medal

A person to whom the Medal has been awarded is entitled to have the letters “ACM” 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 of the Medal.

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

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

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

2 Australian Corrections Medal Regulations 2017

10 Reinstatement of award

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

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

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

(b) return the Medal to the person to whom it was awarded.

Australian Corrections Medal Regulations 2017 3

Overview

The Australian Corrections Medal was established through the Australian Corrections Medal Regulations 2017, which were enacted to create a specific award to recognise the distinguished service of members of Australian correctional services. This piece of legislation was introduced to fill the gap in recognising the significant contributions of correctional service members who are involved in the control and management of offenders, as well as those who support behavioural change and address criminogenic needs of offenders. The enacting body was the Commonwealth of Australia, specifically Her Majesty The Queen, and the policy objective was to provide a formal means of acknowledging the valuable work done by these individuals. The Australian Corrections Medal is awarded based on nominations made by responsible Ministers and approved by the Governor-General, ensuring that the award is both merit-based and subject to stringent criteria. The award is limited in number to ensure its prestige, with a specific cap on the number of awards that can be given out each year based on the size of the correctional service workforce. The design, wearing, and designation of the medal, as well as the process for maintaining records of its recipients, are all governed by the regulations. The regulations also provide for the cancellation and potential reinstatement of awards, highlighting the importance of integrity and recognition in this recognition program.

Scope and Application

The Australian Corrections Medal Regulations 2017 establish a framework for recognising distinguished service by members of Australian civilian correctional services for adults, who are employed or engaged to perform primarily operational duties in relation to the control and management of offenders in custody or in the community, or the provision of custody-based or community-based programs and services that support behavioural change or address criminogenic needs of offenders. The Medal is awarded by the Governor-General, upon nomination by a responsible Minister, and is limited in number according to the size of the correctional services workforce in each state and territory. The design, wearing, and designation of the Medal are determined by the Governor-General, and the award of the Medal can be cancelled or reinstated on the recommendation of a responsible Minister. The Medal is intended to provide a Commonwealth-level recognition for distinguished service within the correctional services sector across Australia.

Key Provisions

The Australian Corrections Medal Regulations 2017 (Regulations) govern the award, design, wearing, and administration of the Australian Corrections Medal. Under Section 3(1) of the Regulations, the Medal is awarded to individuals who have provided distinguished service as a correctional service member and were serving at the time of nomination. The Regulations also clarify that the Medal can be awarded independently of other honours (Section 3(2)) and that once awarded, an individual cannot receive the Medal again (Section 3(4)). The number of awards is limited to one for every 1,000 full-time equivalent correctional service members, with an additional award for any state or territory exceeding 1,000 members (Section 4(4)). Awards must be made by the Governor-General on nomination by a responsible Minister and published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (Section 4(a)). The design and wearing of the Medal are determined by the Governor-General (Sections 5 and 6). The Registrar of Awards, appointed by the Governor-General under Section 8(1), maintains a Register of Medal recipients and any other records as directed by the Governor-General (Section 8(2)). The Regulations also provide for the cancellation and potential reinstatement of awards upon recommendation by a responsible Minister (Sections 9 and 10). The obligations imposed by the Regulations primarily fall on the responsible Minister, the Governor-General, and the Registrar of Awards. The responsible Minister is tasked with nominating suitable candidates for the award of the Medal (Section 4(a)). The Governor-General has the authority to make the award and determine the design and wearing of the Medal (Sections 4, 5, and 6). The Registrar of Awards must maintain a Register of recipients, remove entries for cancelled awards, and restore entries for reinstated awards (Sections 8 and 9). Breaches of the Regulations could result in cancellation of the award. Under Section 9(1), the Governor-General may cancel an award on the recommendation of a responsible Minister. If an award is cancelled, the Registrar must remove the recipient's name from the Register and the recipient must return the Medal (Section 9(2)). The Regulations do not specify penalties for breaches other than the cancellation of the award, nor do they detail the process for recommendations to cancel an award.

Area of Law: Civilian Corrections Law
Instrument: Regulation
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Award of Medal; Registrar of Awards

Interactions

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.

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