Australian Institute of Marine Science Regulations

Overview

The Australian Institute of Marine Science Regulations, Statutory Rules 1972 No. 128, as amended, were enacted to provide detailed rules governing the financial remuneration and allowances for the Director and members of Committees under the Australian Institute of Marine Science Act 1972. This legislation was introduced to address the need for clear guidelines on the compensation and allowances for those involved in the administrative and operational activities of the Australian Institute of Marine Science. The Regulations were made by the Parliament under the authority of the Act, with the policy objective being to ensure that the remuneration and allowances are consistent with those applicable to senior public service officers and reasonably compensate for the time and effort required for their duties. These regulations apply to any period of office of a member on or after the first day of July 1972.

Scope and Application

The Australian Institute of Marine Science Regulations, made under the Australian Institute of Marine Science Act 1972, govern the allowances, fees, and other entitlements for the Director and members of Committees associated with the Australian Institute of Marine Science. These Regulations apply to any period of office commencing on or after 1 July 1972. The scope of the Regulations includes the allowances payable to the Director, fees for members of Committees for attending meetings, and allowances for travel and other expenses incurred by Committee members while performing their duties. Notably, the allowances for the Director are aligned with those for officers of the Senior Executive Service in the Australian Public Service, and specific fee rates are stipulated for Committee members based on the duration of meetings or engagement in Committee business. The Regulations also cover allowances for travel and other expenses incurred by Committee members while performing their duties, including provisions for travel outside Australia and the Territories of the Commonwealth. These Regulations apply nationally, as they are made under Commonwealth legislation.

Key Provisions

The Australian Institute of Marine Science Regulations, which are made under the Australian Institute of Marine Science Act 1972, outline the allowances and fees applicable to the Director and members of Committees within the Institute. The Regulations specify the allowances payable to the Director, fees for members attending Committee meetings, and allowances for travel and other expenses incurred by Committee members. Section 5 of the Regulations establishes that the allowances payable to the Director, other than travelling allowances, are equivalent to those payable to an officer of the Senior Executive Service in the Australian Public Service (subsection 24(2) of the Act). Section 6 details the fees payable to Committee members for each day they attend a meeting or are engaged on Committee business. For meetings lasting less than three hours, the fee is Twenty dollars, while meetings longer than three hours or business engagements of less than three hours also attract a fee of Twenty dollars. Meetings exceeding three hours or business engagements longer than three hours incur a fee of Thirty-five dollars. In addition to these fees, Section 7 of the Regulations outlines the travelling and other allowances for Committee members. If a member is absent overnight from their residence to attend a Committee meeting or perform Committee business, they are entitled to a travelling allowance of Twenty-eight dollars per day. For business performed outside Australia and the Commonwealth Territories, members are entitled to allowances equivalent to those for officers in the Second Division of the Commonwealth Public Service. These allowances are in addition to the cost of conveyance. The Regulations impose specific obligations on the parties they govern, primarily concerning the financial entitlements of the Director and Committee members. The Director must ensure compliance with the allowances stipulated in Section 5, while Committee members are entitled to the specified fees and allowances as per Sections 6 and 7. Failure to adhere to these provisions may result in legal consequences, although the Regulations themselves do not explicitly outline penalties for non-compliance. However, breaches of related provisions in the Act or other applicable legislation may result in civil or criminal penalties, depending on the nature and severity of the breach. The maximum penalties for such breaches are not specified within these Regulations but would be outlined in the primary Act or other relevant legal frameworks.