Commonwealth Public Service Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Amendment of Public Service Regulation No. 155, introduced in 1903, addresses the need to adjust allowances for certain officers within the Postmaster-General's Department. Enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, this legislative instrument aims to refine the financial remuneration for specific roles, such as relieving postmasters and postmistresses, letter carriers, and railway mail guards, ensuring they receive appropriate compensation for their duties. The amendment was approved by the Governor-General on the advice of the Executive Council, under the authority granted by section 80 of the Public Service Act 1902, and was submitted by the Public Service Commissioner. The policy objective is to maintain equitable and fair allowances for public service officers while accommodating variations in their work conditions and locations.

Scope and Application

The Legislative Instrument, Amendment of Public Service Regulation No. 155, pertains to the allowances for certain officers within the Commonwealth of Australia. It applies to officers within the Postmaster-General's Department, including relieving postmasters, postmistresses, officers relieving in suburbs, letter carriers, railway mail guards, and relieving railway sorters. The regulation sets out the scale of allowances for these officers based on their weekly rates and specific circumstances such as travel time. The geographic scope of this regulation is national, applying across the Commonwealth of Australia as it pertains to federal public service roles. The regulation was approved by the Governor-General in Council and amended by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, reflecting the hierarchical governance structure within the federal public service. The regulation allows for the reduction of allowances in certain justified circumstances, subject to approval by the Permanent Head and the Commissioner, thereby providing some flexibility in the application of the allowances.

Key Provisions

The principal provisions of the amendment to Public Service Regulation No. 155, as outlined in the accompanying schedule, pertain to the allowances granted to certain officers within the Postmaster-General's Department (section 155). This amendment establishes a specific scale of allowances for various roles, including relieving postmasters and postmistresses, officers relieving in suburbs, letter carriers, railway mail guards, and relieving railway sorters. For instance, relieving postmasters and postmistresses at country offices are entitled to 6 shillings daily if their service is less than one week and 30 shillings weekly if their service is one week or longer at the same location. Meanwhile, letter carriers relieving in suburbs receive 1 shilling and 6 pence daily regardless of the duration of their service. The obligations imposed by this amendment require the relevant officers to adhere to the specified allowance rates as per their roles and service duration. The Permanent Head, with the approval of the Commissioner, is granted the authority to adjust these allowances downward if circumstances warrant such a reduction. This flexibility allows for adjustments based on operational needs or other relevant factors. Breaches of these regulations do not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or consequences within the provided text. However, as a legislative instrument, non-compliance with the allowances specified by the Public Service Regulation could potentially lead to administrative or disciplinary actions. These might include formal reprimands, financial penalties, or other corrective measures as deemed appropriate by the department or relevant authorities. The precise nature of these consequences would typically be determined in accordance with the overarching Public Service Act 1902 and other applicable regulations.