Commonwealth of Australia.
Department of Home Affairs,
Melbourne, 22nd December, 1903.
REPEAL OF PUBLIC SERVICE REGULATION No. 149—TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES—AND SUBSTITUTION THEREFOR OF A NEW REGULATION.
HIS Excellency the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, by and with the advice of the Executive Council thereof, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 80 of the Public Service Act 1902, has been pleased to approve of the repeal of Public Service Regulation 149, made on the 15th December, 1902, and amended by Executive Minute, dated 17th April, 1903, and the substitution therefor of a new Regulation, as set forth in the accompanying Schedule; such new Regulation to take effect on and from the 1st January, 1904.
GEORGE TURNER,
For Minister of State for Home Affairs.
______
Public Service Regulation No. 149.
149. “The following shall be the scale of travelling allowances:—
Division. | Salary. | | Daily Allowance after 1 week’s residence in same place. | Hourly Rate. |
From | To |
Officers of the Administrative Division | £ | £ | s. | d. | s. | d | 1-24th of daily rate for each hour when officer is absent for more than one-fourth of a day. |
.. | .. | 17 | 6 | 15 | 0. |
Officers of other Divisions | Over £600 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 0 | |
Clerical and Professional Divisions | 501 | 600 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
301 | 500 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
300 and under | 10 | 0 | 8 | 6 | |
Over 300 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
General Division | 201 | 300 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 6 | |
111 | 200 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
110 and under | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
Provided, however, that the travelling allowances payable to officers of the Public Service stationed in Western Australia shall be at the following rates:—
Officers receiving £500 a year and upwards. | 15s. | per diem. |
Officers receiving £300 a year and under £500 a year | 12s. 6d. | „ |
Officers receiving £200 a year and under £300 a year. | 10s. | „ |
Officers receiving less than £200 a year. | 8s. | „ |
with an additional allowance of 25 per cent. on these rates when an officer is travelling in the gold-fields districts, and a deduction of 25 per cent when an officer is stationed for any period in excess of ten days in any one place.
Provided, further, that the minimum travelling allowance to officers acting as Members of Boards of Inquiry and Appeal shall be at the rate of 12s. per diem, excepting in the cases of such officers travelling in Western Australia, where the minimum allowance shall be at the rate of 12s. 6d. per diem.”
Overview
The Commonwealth of Australia, through the Department of Home Affairs, repealed the Public Service Regulation No. 149 on 22nd December 1903, replacing it with a new regulation that was set to take effect from 1st January 1904. This action was taken under the authority of Section 80 of the Public Service Act 1902 and was intended to address the need for updated and standardised travelling allowances for public service officers. The policy objective of this regulation was to ensure equitable and structured allowances for officers based on their salary and location, particularly for those stationed in Western Australia, thereby addressing the problem of inconsistent and potentially unfair travel reimbursement practices within the public service.
Scope and Application
The legislative instrument pertains to the repeal of Public Service Regulation No. 149, concerning travelling allowances, and its replacement with a new regulation, effective from January 1, 1904. This Act applies to officers of the Public Service, specifically targeting those in the Administrative, Clerical, Professional, and General Divisions, as well as those stationed in Western Australia. The new regulation establishes a scale of travelling allowances based on the officers' salaries, with additional allowances for travel in gold-fields districts and deductions for extended stays in one location. The instrument also ensures a minimum daily allowance for officers acting as Members of Boards of Inquiry and Appeal, with specific rates for Western Australia. The repeal and substitution of the regulation are authorised under Section 80 of the Public Service Act 1902 and extend across the Commonwealth of Australia. The Act does not explicitly mention any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, and there is no indication that its application is extended or restricted by subordinate instruments.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of the legislation (Public Service Regulation No. 149) establish a scale of travelling allowances for officers in various divisions of the Public Service, effective from 1 January 1904. The scale varies based on the salary of the officers, with different daily and hourly rates, as well as provisions for officers stationed in Western Australia and those acting as Members of Boards of Inquiry and Appeal (Section 149). The regulation also includes provisions for adjustments to these allowances based on the duration of stay in a particular location or travel through gold-fields districts.
The obligations imposed by this regulation on the relevant parties, primarily the officers of the Public Service, include adherence to the specified travelling allowance rates as per their division and salary. For officers stationed in Western Australia, additional considerations apply based on their annual salary, with different rates for those in gold-fields districts or stationed for more than ten days in a single location. Officers acting as Members of Boards of Inquiry and Appeal have a minimum allowance rate stipulated in the regulation, again with adjustments for those in Western Australia.
Breach of the travelling allowance provisions set forth in this regulation could result in administrative consequences. However, the legislation does not explicitly detail offences, penalties, or specific civil or criminal consequences for non-compliance. The absence of such details suggests that compliance may be monitored internally within the Public Service framework, with potential recourse through administrative review or other internal mechanisms rather than direct legal penalties.