Commonwealth Public Service Regulations 1913 (Amendment)

Overview

The Commonwealth Public Service Regulations (Eleventh Amendment) 1920, enacted in 1920, was introduced to address specific administrative and procedural gaps within the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1902-1918. The objective of these regulations was to amend and clarify certain allowances provided to public service officers who are required to sleep on official premises under specific circumstances. This legislative instrument was made by the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and was intended to ensure that public service officers received appropriate compensation for additional duties performed on official premises. The policy objective behind these amendments was to provide more precise guidelines on allowances for officers based on their sleeping arrangements and duties, thereby enhancing administrative clarity and fairness within the public service.

Scope and Application

The Commonwealth Public Service Regulations (Eleventh Amendment) 1920 amends the existing regulations under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1902-1918, specifically targeting the allowances provided to officers of the Commonwealth Public Service. These regulations apply to officers who are required to sleep on official premises, whether for protective purposes or to perform night telephone duties. Notably, the amendment provides for allowances not exceeding seven shillings per week for officers sleeping on official premises for protective purposes, and not exceeding ten shillings per week for officers performing night telephone duties, subject to approval by the Chief Officer. These allowances do not apply to officers who are in residence or receiving a relieving allowance. The regulations extend to all officers within the Commonwealth Public Service, encompassing various industries and conduct pertinent to public service roles. The amendments are effective throughout the Commonwealth of Australia, reflecting a federal approach to the administration of public service regulations. No specific exclusions or thresholds are mentioned in the regulations themselves, though the scope of applicability is inherently restricted to those officers fulfilling the specified conditions of residing on official premises for outlined duties.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this legislative instrument are sections 1 and 2, which amend Regulation 163a of the Public Service Regulations. Section 1 removes a specific allowance for officers required to sleep on official premises who are not in residence and not receiving a relieving allowance. Section 2 introduces new allowances for officers sleeping on official premises under specific conditions. Section 163b(1) permits an allowance of up to seven shillings per week for officers sleeping on official premises for protective purposes, provided they are neither in residence nor receiving a relieving allowance. Section 163b(2) allows an allowance of up to ten shillings per week for officers who sleep on official premises and perform night telephone duties. These allowances are subject to the approval of the Chief Officer. The Act imposes several obligations and requirements on the parties it governs. Firstly, it mandates that any allowance granted under these new provisions must be approved by the Chief Officer. Secondly, it specifies that the allowances are only applicable to officers who are required to sleep on official premises under particular conditions, excluding those in residence or receiving a relieving allowance. Furthermore, it requires compliance with the stipulated maximum amounts for the allowances as outlined in the regulations. There are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences mentioned in the legislative instrument for breaches of these provisions. However, it is implicit that failure to adhere to the regulatory requirements for granting allowances could result in non-compliance with public service regulations. While the exact consequences of such non-compliance are not detailed here, they may involve administrative or disciplinary measures within the public service framework.