Financial and Allowance Regulations for the Australian Military Forces and Senior Cadets (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1918, No. 113, is a legislative instrument made under the Defence Act 1908-1917, enacted to address specific financial allowances for the funerals of members of the Permanent Forces. This regulation was introduced by the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting on advice from the Federal Executive Council. The policy objective of this regulation is to ensure that there are adequate provisions for the respectful and necessary expenses involved in the funerals of members of the Permanent Forces, while also providing a mechanism for exceptional circumstances where the standard allowance may be exceeded. The regulation aims to balance financial responsibility with the need to honour and support the families of deceased service members.

Scope and Application

The Statutory Rules of 1918, No. 113, issued under the Defence Act 1908-1917, pertain specifically to the amendment of financial and allowance regulations concerning funeral expenditures for members of the Permanent Forces. This regulation applies to Commandants who are authorised to approve funeral expenses for deceased members of the Permanent Forces within the Commonwealth of Australia. The regulation permits Commandants to authorise expenditures up to £10 for funerals, with the provision that in exceptional circumstances where expenses exceed this amount, approval from the Minister is required to cover necessary costs beyond the specified limit. The geographic and jurisdictional reach of this regulation is confined to the Commonwealth of Australia, operating within the framework of the Defence Act 1908-1917. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions within the text provided, and the regulation directly amends existing financial and allowance regulations to provide clarity and structure on funeral expenditure authorisations for members of the Permanent Forces.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this statutory regulation concern the amendment of financial and allowance regulations under the Defence Act 1908-1917, specifically Regulation 328 (section 1). This regulation now permits an expenditure not exceeding £10 to be authorised by Commandants for funerals of members of the Permanent Forces (section 2). If the circumstances are exceptional and the expenditure exceeds £10, the Minister can approve a further amount to cover necessary expenses (section 2). Under this Act, Commandants are obligated to adhere to the specified expenditure limits when authorising funeral costs for members of the Permanent Forces (section 2). They must ensure that the expenditure does not exceed £10 unless under exceptional circumstances. In such cases, the Commandant must seek approval from the Minister for any additional amount needed (section 2). The Minister, in turn, has the authority to approve any additional expenditure required to cover necessary expenses beyond the initial £10 limit (section 2). Breach of these provisions could lead to administrative or financial consequences, though specific penalties are not outlined in the regulation. The regulation does not explicitly state any criminal or civil penalties for non-compliance, but it is implied that failure to follow the financial guidelines could result in financial mismanagement or improper use of Defence funds. Such breaches might lead to internal Defence disciplinary actions or other administrative measures taken by the relevant authorities (section 2).