Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979

Administered by Department of Defence

Legislation au F1996B01618 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979

Statutory Rules 1979 No. 90 as amended

made under the

Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973

This compilation was prepared on 13 August 2004
taking into account amendments up to SR 2004 No. 175

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting,
Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra

Contents

 1 Name of Regulations [see Note 1] 

 2 Repeal of former Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations             

 3 Definitions 

 4 Annual pay applicable to a member 

Notes   

 

 

 

 

1 Name of Regulations [see Note 1]

  These Regulations are the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979.

2 Repeal of former Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations

  Statutory Rules 1973 Nos. 188 and 261, Statutory Rules 1974 Nos. 14, 161 and 234, Statutory Rules 1975 Nos. 141 and 195, Statutory Rules 1976 Nos. 42, 99, 160, 170, 196, 207 and 265, Statutory Rules 1977 Nos. 82, 98, 158 and 161, Statutory Rules 1978 Nos. 6, 52, 80, 118 and 241, and Statutory Rules 1979 No. 6, are repealed.

3 Definitions

  In these Regulations:

allowance means an allowance determined by the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal under section 58H of the Defence Act.

Defence Act means the Defence Act 1903.

Determination No. 6 of 1992 means Determination No. 6 of 1992, Salaries, made under section 58H of the Defence Act, as in force from time to time.

flying allowance means the allowance of that name established by Determination No. 7 of 1997, Flying Allowance, made under section 58H of the Defence Act, as in force from time to time.

member means member of the Defence Force.

Q & S component, of an allowance, means the qualifications and skill component of the allowance.

service allowance means the allowance of that name established under Determination No. 11 of 1994, Service Allowance, made under section 58H of the Defence Act, as in force from time to time.

special action forces allowance means the allowance of that name established by Determination No. 11 of 2002, Special Action Forces Allowance, made under section 58H of the Defence Act, as in force from time to time.

specialist operations allowance means the allowance of that name established by Determination No. 19 of 2002, Specialist Operations Allowance, made under section 58H of the Defence Act, as in force from time to time.

submarine service allowance means the allowance of that name established by Determination No. 9 of 1995, Submarine Service Allowance, made under section 58H of the Defence Act, as in force from time to time.

4 Annual pay applicable to a member

 (1) For the definition of annual rate of pay in subsection 3 (1) of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973, the amounts set out in this regulation are prescribed.

 (2) Where, under Determination No. 6 of 1992, different annual rates of salary for a member holding a rank specified, or deemed, for the purposes of that Determination, to hold a rank, are prescribed according to the number of years of service that a member holding that rank has completed, the annual rate of salary under that Determination of a member who holds that rank shall, for the purposes of subregulation (3), be deemed to be the annual rate of salary payable to a member who has completed the longer or longest period of service that is specified in that Determination in relation to a member holding that rank.

 (3) Subject to subregulations (4) and (5), the annual rate of pay applicable on a particular day to a member is the sum of:

 (a) the annual rate of salary of the member on that day under Determination No. 6 of 1992; and

 (b) for a member to whom service allowance is payable — an amount equal to the annual rate of the service allowance that is applicable in respect of service by the member on that day; and

 (c) for a member to whom the Q & S component of:

 (i) flying allowance; or

 (ii) special action forces allowance; or

 (iii) specialist operations allowance; or

 (iv) submarine service allowance;

is payable — an amount equal to the annual rate of the Q & S component that is applicable in respect of service by the member on that day.

 (4) The annual rate of pay applicable on a particular day to a member holding the office of Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Chief of Navy, Chief of Army or Chief of Air Force is the annual rate of salary on that day of a holder of that office as determined by the Remuneration Tribunal under subsection 7 (3) of the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973.

 (5) For the purposes of subregulation (3), the annual rate of salary that applies on a particular day to a member who is a chaplain:

 (a) in Division 1 or 2 of the Royal Australian Army Chaplains’ Department; or

 (b) in Division 1 or 2 of the chaplains branch of the Air Force; or

 (c) in Division 1 or 2 of the Chaplain Branch of the Navy;

is regarded as being the highest annual rate of salary payable on that day under Determination No. 6 of 1992 for the Division applicable to the chaplain.

 (6) For the purposes of subregulation (3), the annual rate of salary that applies on a particular day to a member who is a chaplain:

 (a) in Division 3, 4 or 5 of the Royal Australian Army Chaplains’ Department; or

 (b) in Division 3, 4 or 5 of the chaplains branch of the Air Force; or

 (c) in Division 3, 4 or 5 of the Chaplain Branch of the Navy;

is the annual rate of salary payable on that day under Determination No. 6 of 1992 to the chaplain.

 (7) A reference in this regulation to the annual rate of salary of a member on a day under Determination No. 6 of 1992 shall be construed as a reference to the amount that would be the annual rate of salary of the member on that day under that Determination if the expression rank, when used in that Determination, had the meaning given to that expression by subsection 3 (1) of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973 and did not have the meaning given to that expression by that Determination.

 

Notes to the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979

Note 1

The Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979 (in force under the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973) as shown in this compilation comprise Statutory Rules 1979 No. 90 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

The Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979 were amended by the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment Act 1981 (Act No. 144, 1981). The amendment has been incorporated in this compilation. For application, saving or transitional provisions relating to that amendment see subsections 9 (2) and (3) of Act No. 144, 1981.

Table of Statutory Rules

Year and
number

Date of notification
in Gazette

Date of
commencement

Application, saving or
transitional provisions

1979 No. 90

14 June 1979

14 June 1979

 

1979 No. 206

27 Sept 1979

27 Sept 1979

Rr. 3 and 4

1979 No. 255

30 Nov 1979

30 Nov 1979

Rr. 2–4

1980 No. 341

4 Dec 1980

4 Dec 1980

Rr. 2 and 3

1982 No. 188

11 Aug 1982

11 Aug 1982

R. 2

1982 No. 189

11 Aug 1982

11 Aug 1982

1984 No. 118

22 June 1984

22 June 1984

1984 No. 185

10 Aug 1984

10 Aug 1984

1984 No. 393

5 Dec 1984

5 Dec 1984

1984 No. 394

5 Dec 1984

31 Dec 1984

1985 No. 325

5 Dec 1985

30 May 1985

as amended by

 

 

 

1986 No. 103

23 May 1986

23 May 1986

1990 No. 12

31 Jan 1990

31 Jan 1990

R. 2

1991 No. 133

26 June 1991

19 July 1990

1995 No. 49

29 Mar 1995

4 June 1992

 

1997 No. 42

12 Mar 1997

12 Mar 1997

2004 No. 175

1 July 2004

13 Aug 2004

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted      am. = amended      rep. = repealed      rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

R. 1.................

rs. 2004 No. 175

R. 3.................

am. 1979 No. 206; 1984 No. 394; 1985 No. 325; 1995 No. 49

 

rs. 2004 No. 175

R. 4.................

am. 1979 Nos. 206 and 255; 1980 No. 341; Act No. 144, 1981; 1982 Nos. 188 and 189; 1984 Nos. 118, 185, 393 and 394; 1990 No. 12; 1991 No. 133; 1995 No. 49; 1997 No. 42; 2004 No. 175

 

Overview

The Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979 were enacted to provide a structured framework for determining the annual rates of pay for members of the Australian Defence Force. These regulations were made under the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973 and were designed to address the need for a clear and consistent method of calculating the pay of Defence Force members, which is crucial for the administration of retirement and death benefits. The regulations were enacted by the Australian Parliament and aim to ensure that members receive their due pay in a transparent and equitable manner. These regulations outline the specific annual rates of pay applicable to Defence Force members, taking into account various allowances and conditions of service, and have been subject to several amendments over the years to keep them current with changes in service conditions and remuneration structures.

Scope and Application

The Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979, made under the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973, specify the annual rates of pay applicable to members of the Defence Force in Australia. These regulations apply to all members of the Australian Defence Force, including the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force. The annual rates of pay are determined based on the member’s rank and years of service, as well as any applicable allowances such as flying allowance, service allowance, or special action forces allowance. The regulations also detail the pay rates for senior officers, such as the Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Chief of the Defence Force, and other high-ranking positions within the Defence Force. The application of these regulations is national, applying across all states and territories of Australia. The regulations have been subject to amendments over the years, with the most recent amendment coming into effect on 13 August 2004, incorporating changes from various statutory rules and acts.

Key Provisions

The Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Annual Rates of Pay) Regulations 1979 (referred to as the "Regulations") establish the annual rates of pay for members of the Defence Force under the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973. The Regulations are structured to define the terms used within them, repeal previous regulations, and prescribe the annual rates of pay for Defence Force members. These rates are calculated based on the annual rate of salary under Determination No. 6 of 1992 and include additional allowances such as service, flying, special action forces, specialist operations, and submarine service allowances, where applicable. The Regulations impose obligations on the Defence Force members and the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal to ensure that the correct annual rates of pay are calculated and paid. The Defence Force members must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for the allowances as determined by the Defence Act and the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal. The Tribunal is responsible for setting the annual rates of salary for Defence Force members and the specific allowances that are applicable to individual members based on their rank, years of service, and specific duties. Failure to comply with the Regulations can result in civil and criminal consequences. Specifically, the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973 provides for civil penalties for non-compliance, which may include fines. Additionally, if the non-compliance is deemed to be deliberate or fraudulent, it could result in criminal charges, including imprisonment, as per the Criminal Code Act 1995. The maximum penalties for such offences depend on the severity and intent behind the non-compliance. It is important for all parties involved to adhere strictly to the provisions set out in the Regulations to avoid any legal repercussions.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Defence & Military Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Repeal & Amendment
Annual Pay
Service Allowance

Interactions

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.