Commonwealth Public Service (Parliamentary Officers) Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

Statutory Rules 1947 No. 13, enacted in 1947, was formulated under the authority of the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1946. This legislative instrument was introduced to address the need for cost-of-living adjustments in the salaries of parliamentary officers within the public service. The regulation was issued by the Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting on advice from the Federal Executive Council, and signifies a commitment to ensuring fair remuneration adjustments in response to economic changes. The primary policy objective of this regulation was to provide timely and accurate salary adjustments for parliamentary officers, reflecting changes in the cost of living as measured by the specified index number. The regulation specifically modifies Regulation 75 of the Commonwealth Public Service (Parliamentary Officers) Regulations to adjust the index number for the six months ending September 30, 1946, to 99.7, and mandates that the salaries of officers be adjusted accordingly starting from the first pay period in December 1946. This legislative measure was designed to ensure that parliamentary officers receive timely remuneration adjustments, thereby maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the public service.

Scope and Application

This legislative instrument, Statutory Rules 1947 No. 13, is a regulation made under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1946. It specifically amends the Commonwealth Public Service (Parliamentary Officers) Regulations to adjust the cost of living allowance for the salaries of parliamentary officers. This adjustment is applied to officers covered under the Commonwealth Public Service (Parliamentary Officers) Regulations, which includes individuals employed in roles related to the parliamentary service. The regulation applies on a Commonwealth level, impacting officers across Australia. The regulation does not explicitly state any exclusions, but by nature, it applies only to the specified officers within the parliamentary service. The regulation itself is straightforward in its amendment; however, broader scope and application might be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments issued under the authority of the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1946.

Key Provisions

The main operative section of this legislation, Regulation 75 of the Commonwealth Public Service (Parliamentary Officers) Regulations, specifies a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the salaries of officers. According to the amendment, the index number for the six months ending on 30th September 1946 is set at 99.7 (subsection 5a(a)), and the salaries of officers will be adjusted accordingly from the start of the first pay period in December 1946, rather than November 1946 as originally stipulated (subsection 5a(b)). This adjustment is intended to reflect changes in the cost of living. Under this Act, the obligation rests upon the officers and the entities responsible for their remuneration to ensure that the salaries are adjusted in accordance with the stipulated index number. The adjustment should be implemented from the first pay period of December 1946, rather than the originally intended period in November 1946. The regulation provides a clear directive for the timing and basis of the salary adjustment. Failure to comply with the stipulations of this regulation may lead to various consequences. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the text, breaches of public service regulations can generally result in disciplinary actions, financial penalties, or other forms of sanction as deemed appropriate by the relevant authorities. The severity of the penalty would depend on the nature and extent of the breach, but it is clear that adherence to the regulation is mandatory to avoid potential repercussions.