STATUTORY RULES.
1940. No. 110.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC SERVICE ACT 1922-1939.*
THE PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD appointed under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1939, in pursuance and exercise of the authority conferred upon it by the said Act, and subject to the approval of the Governor-General, hereby makes the following Regulations.
Dated this fifteenth day of June, 1940.
F. G. THORPE
Commissioner.
I, THE DEPUTY OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby approve the following Regulations.
Dated this fifteenth day of June, 1940.
WINSTON DUGAN
Deputy of the Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
ROBERT G. MENZIES
Prime Minister.
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Amendments of the Commonwealth Public Service Regulations.†
Permanent Heads to be Chief Officers.
1. Regulation 71 of the Commonwealth Public Service Regulations is amended by adding the following Department at the end of the list of Departments set forth in sub-regulation (1.) thereof:—
“The Department of Munitions.”.
Permanent Heads of Departments.
2. Regulation 71a of the Commonwealth Public Service Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the words—
“The Secretary, Department of Munitions.”.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 15th June, 1940.
† Statutory Rules 1935, No. 18, as amended by Statutory Rules 1935, Nos. 44, 72, 78 and 119; 1936, Nos. 5, 55, 76, 88, l06, 116, 143 and 154; 1937, Nos. 11, 25, 54, 60, 74, 78, 87, 100, 103 and 118, 1938, Nos. 35, 41, 79, 105, 110 and 113; 1939, Nos. 4, 36, 52, 62, 65, 105, 154, 167 and 168; and 1940, Nos. 23 and 74.
__________________
By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.
3823.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Commonwealth Public Service Regulations 1940 address the need to adapt the Commonwealth Public Service structure to meet the demands of wartime exigencies, specifically the establishment of the Department of Munitions. Enacted by the Public Service Board under the authority of the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1939 and approved by the Deputy of the Governor-General with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, these regulations were made to ensure the efficient administration and management of the newly created department. The policy objective behind these amendments is to streamline the public service structure to effectively support the nation’s war efforts by recognising the Secretary of the Department of Munitions as a Chief Officer within the public service framework.
Scope and Application
The Regulations under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1939, as approved by the Deputy of the Governor-General and the Prime Minister, specify amendments to the Commonwealth Public Service Regulations, particularly in relation to the establishment and administration of the Department of Munitions. These regulations apply to the Commonwealth public service and its officers, including the addition of the Department of Munitions to the list of departments and the designation of the Secretary of this department as a permanent head. The geographic scope of these regulations is national, affecting all public service officers and departments across Australia. There are no explicit exclusions or exemptions mentioned in these regulations, and they extend to the creation and governance of a new department within the Commonwealth public service, thereby expanding the administrative structure to include the oversight and management of munitions during the period of World War II. The regulations are subject to the overarching authority of the Commonwealth Public Service Act and are effective as of their notification in the Commonwealth Gazette on 15th June 1940.
Key Provisions
The Commonwealth Public Service Regulations of 1940, as detailed in Statutory Rules 1940 No. 110, introduce amendments to the existing regulations under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1939. One of the key provisions is the addition of the Department of Munitions to the list of Departments in Regulation 71 (sub-regulation 1). This amendment is intended to incorporate the Department of Munitions into the public service structure, recognising its role and significance within the federal government. Additionally, Regulation 71a is amended to include the Secretary of the Department of Munitions as a Permanent Head of a Department, thereby granting this position the status of a Chief Officer (sub-regulation 2).
These amendments impose obligations on the Public Service Board to ensure that the Department of Munitions is properly integrated into the public service framework. The Board must recognise the Department as an integral part of the federal government, thereby affecting its management, staffing, and operational protocols. Furthermore, the Secretary of the Department of Munitions is now required to act as a Chief Officer, which entails specific responsibilities and duties outlined in the broader public service regulations.
There are no explicit offences, penalties, or consequences for breaches detailed in these specific amendments. However, any non-compliance with the broader public service regulations, which these amendments are part of, could lead to disciplinary actions, legal repercussions, or administrative penalties as outlined in other sections of the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1939 and its associated regulations. The severity of such consequences would depend on the nature and extent of the breach, but they may include fines, suspension, or dismissal for public service officers.