STATUTORY RULES.
1915. No. 59.
PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC SERVICE ACT 1902-1913.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulations under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1902-1913 should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulations to come into operation forthwith as Provisional Regulations.
Dated this twenty-third day of April, One thousand nine hundred and fifteen.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
ANDREW FISHER.
AMENDMENTS OF COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC SERVICE REGULATIONS.
The Commonwealth Public Service Regulations, 1913 (Statutory Rules, 1913, No. 341) are amended as follows:—
(1) Sub-Regulation (1) of Regulation 66 is amended by inserting after the words “Chief Officer” the following:—
“or any officer approved by the Permanent Head or Chief Officer.”
(2) Sub-Regulation (1) of Regulation 77 is amended by adding the following:—
“except in the case of single-day absences not exceeding three in any twelve months, when, unless otherwise directed by the Chief Officer, the production of a medical certificate shall not be necessary.”
(3) Regulation 81 is repealed, and the following is substituted in its stead;—
“ No leave on account of illness shall be granted with pay if the sickness or ill-health has been caused by the misconduct of the officer, to satisfy himself on which point the Chief Officer may send a special medical officer to attend on and examine such officer at his residence. A fee of £1 1s., or such other fee as is hereinafter provided, shall be paid to the special medical officer for his attendance and report, and if such report is, in the opinion of the Chief Officer, not favorable to the officer concerned, or if the officer is absent from his residence at the time of the medical officer’s visit without, in the opinion of the Chief Officer, reasonable cause therefor, the amount of the fee so paid shall be
C.3316.—Price 3d.
deducted from any money which is or becomes payable to the said officer by the Government. The same practice may be followed where an officer in suspected of absenting himself from duty without sufficient cause. Where the distance to be travelled is such that, in the opinion of the Chief Officer, a fee of £1 1s. would be inadequate, such fee may be paid as is arranged between the Chief Officer and the medical officer.”
(4) Table B of Regulation 104 is amended so far as it relates to the position of Motor Mechanic (in charge) and Motor Mechanic, which are hereby graded as follows :—
Office. | Grade. | Salary. | Increments (Annual). |
Minimum. | Maximum. |
| | £ | £ | £ |
| IV. | .. | 192 | |
Motor Mechanic (in charge) | V. | .. | 198 | |
| VI. | .. | 210 | |
Motor Mechanic................ | IV. | 168 | 186 | 6 |
(5) Regulation 151 is amended by adding the following:—
“or to any officer travelling by steamer or other vessel in which the fare paid includes subsistence, or to any officer who is provided with subsistence and lodging.”
(6) Sub-Regulation (2) of Regulation 166a is repealed, and the following is substituted in its stead:—
“(2) Application for payment under the provisions of this Regulation must be made within one month from the date on which the officer becomes eligible for such payment; otherwise payment shall only be made from the date of application.”
(7) Regulation 253 is amended by adding the following:—
“Provided that, if the proceedings of a Board of Inquiry are not completed at the date of expiry of the term for which the Divisional Representative sitting on such Board was elected, such Divisional Representative shall be regarded as holding office in respect to the particular inquiry until the proceedings are completed.”
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1915 No. 59, enacted under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1902-1913, was introduced to address various administrative issues within the Commonwealth Public Service by making necessary amendments to existing regulations. The urgency of these amendments was recognised by the Governor-General in Council, resulting in their immediate operation as Provisional Regulations. These amendments aimed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service by clarifying certain procedures and responsibilities. For instance, they provided flexibility in the approval of officers to grant leave, relaxed the requirements for medical certificates in specific cases, and adjusted the conditions for leave on account of illness, among other changes. The regulations also addressed the grading and salary structures for certain positions, such as Motor Mechanics, and modified the timeframe for application for certain payments.
Scope and Application
The Provisional Regulations under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1902-1913, coming into immediate operation, apply to officers within the Commonwealth public service. These regulations introduce amendments to existing rules concerning the approval of officers, absences due to illness, grading of motor mechanics, and the timeliness of applications for payments, among other adjustments. The amendments are designed to modify and refine the administrative and procedural aspects of public service operations. The regulations are of a national scope, applying across the Commonwealth of Australia, and are intended to update and enhance the existing framework established by the Commonwealth Public Service Regulations, 1913. However, the regulations do not specify exclusions or thresholds, but rather focus on operational efficiency and procedural clarity for public service officers. The application of these regulations is further extended and specified through subordinate instruments, which provide detailed guidance and additional provisions as necessary.
Key Provisions
The Provisional Regulations under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1902-1913 introduce several amendments to the existing Commonwealth Public Service Regulations, 1913. These amendments affect the approval of officers (Regulation 66), the requirement for medical certificates for absences (Regulation 77), the granting of paid leave for illness (Regulation 81), the grading of Motor Mechanic positions (Regulation 104), travel allowances (Regulation 151), the timeline for claiming payments (Regulation 166a), and the term of Divisional Representatives on Boards of Inquiry (Regulation 253). These changes are intended to bring about immediate operational effects in the management and regulation of the public service.
The obligations imposed on public service officers and the administration by these regulations include the requirement for any officer approved by the Permanent Head or Chief Officer to perform certain duties as outlined in Regulation 66. For absences not exceeding three days in a twelve-month period, a medical certificate is not mandatory, unless otherwise directed by the Chief Officer, as per Regulation 77. Regulation 81 stipulates that paid leave for illness will not be granted if the illness is due to misconduct, with a provision for the Chief Officer to send a special medical officer to verify the officer’s condition. Table B in Regulation 104 now includes specific grading and salary details for Motor Mechanics (in charge) and Motor Mechanics. Regulation 151 extends travel allowances to officers who pay for both travel and subsistence or are provided with subsistence and lodging. Furthermore, Regulation 166a mandates that applications for payments must be made within one month of eligibility, or else payment will commence from the date of application. Lastly, Regulation 253 allows a Divisional Representative to remain on a Board of Inquiry until proceedings are completed, even if their term has expired.
Failure to comply with the provisions of these regulations may result in various consequences. For instance, if an officer’s sickness or ill-health is caused by misconduct, they may not receive paid leave, and any fee paid to a special medical officer may be deducted from their earnings, as outlined in Regulation 81. Furthermore, if an officer fails to apply for payments within the stipulated one-month period as required by Regulation 166a, they may only receive payment from the date of their application. These regulatory amendments aim to ensure proper management and accountability within the public service framework.