Overview

The Australian Operational Service Medal (Greater Middle East Operation) Instrument Amendment 2022 (No. 1) was enacted in 2022 to address certain gaps and problems in the existing framework governing the awarding of the Australian Operational Service Medal for operations in the Greater Middle East. This amendment was introduced by the Parliament of Australia, reflecting a commitment to ensuring that the recognition of service and sacrifice is both accurate and inclusive. The policy objective behind this amendment is to provide a comprehensive and fair system for acknowledging the contributions of Australian Defence Force personnel who participated in operations in the Greater Middle East, ensuring that all eligible individuals are duly recognised for their service.

Scope and Application

The Australian Operational Service Medal (Greater Middle East Operation) Instrument Amendment 2022 (No. 1) amends the Australian Operational Service Medal (Greater Middle East Operation) Instrument 2013, which originally established the criteria for the awarding of the Australian Operational Service Medal (GOEM) for service in the Greater Middle East Operational Region. This Amendment Act applies to any person who qualifies for the award of the GOEM under the original Instrument and extends the eligibility criteria to include Defence personnel who were deployed to the Greater Middle East Operational Region as defined in the Defence Force Service Medal (DFSC) Regulations. The Amendment Act has a national reach, applying across all states and territories of Australia and is applicable to both current and past members of the Australian Defence Force who served in the specified operational region. The Act does not introduce any new exclusions or exemptions; rather, it seeks to broaden the eligibility for the award to recognise the service of additional Defence personnel who may have been inadvertently omitted from the original criteria. The application and interpretation of this Act may be further refined or extended through subordinate instruments, which can provide additional detail or clarification on the operational region or the specific duties qualifying for the award.

Key Provisions

The Australian Operational Service Medal (Greater Middle East Operation) Instrument Amendment 2022 (No. 1) modifies the criteria for awarding the Australian Operational Service Medal (GOSE) to personnel who have served in the Greater Middle East Operation. Under section 2 of the Instrument, the qualifying service period has been extended to include service from 19 September 2001 to 30 June 2014, which broadens the eligibility of personnel who can be considered for the award. Additionally, section 3 provides that the Defence Force Reserve Medal may be awarded to eligible Reserve members of the ADF who meet the new qualifying criteria set out in the Amendment. The Amendment imposes specific obligations on both the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the eligible recipients. For the ADF, as detailed in section 4, it is required to review the service records of personnel who have served in the specified time frame to determine eligibility for the award. Section 5 further mandates that the Defence Force Reserve Medal be awarded to eligible Reserve members under the same qualifying criteria as for the GOSE. For recipients, section 6 outlines the need for them to provide any necessary documentation to substantiate their claim for the award. Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in the Amendment may result in legal consequences. Section 8 of the Instrument stipulates that any person found to have knowingly made a false statement or provided false information in order to obtain the award may be subject to prosecution. The maximum penalty for such an offence, as indicated in section 9, is a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both. Furthermore, section 10 provides that any person found to have improperly obtained the award may be required to return it, and this failure to return the medal may also result in a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment for up to one year, or both.