Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Cambodia) Amendment Declaration 2002 (No. 1)

Overview

The Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Cambodia) Amendment Declaration 2002 (No. 1) was enacted to update the criteria for eligibility for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal in relation to service in Cambodia. This declaration was made under subregulation 3(1) of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal Regulations by the Governor-General, Peter John Hollingworth, on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration, Peter Slipper. The declaration amends the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Cambodia) Declaration 1999 to include additional organisations and extend the periods of participation for existing organisations involved in humanitarian services in Cambodia. The objective of this amendment is to recognise the service of Australian personnel involved in humanitarian efforts in Cambodia during the specified period.

Scope and Application

The Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Cambodia) Amendment Declaration 2002 (No. 1) amends the original Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Cambodia) Declaration 1999, expanding the eligibility criteria for the award of the medal to recognise additional humanitarian service in Cambodia. This amendment applies to persons who were part of specified organisations, including Australian contingents to the International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations organisations, Australian Lutheran World Service, Australian Red Cross, CARE Australia, Overseas Service Bureau, Save the Children Fund Australia, and World Vision Australia, for defined periods of service between 1 July 1979 and 31 December 1993. The amendment extends the eligibility to encompass these organisations and their personnel for the specified time frames, thereby broadening the scope of the original declaration. The Declaration, made under subregulation 3(1) of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal Regulations, is effective from the date of its gazettal and applies nationally within the Commonwealth of Australia. There are no exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds specified in this particular Declaration, but the eligibility and criteria for the award are determined by the amended schedule.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this Declaration include the amendment to the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Cambodia) Declaration 1999, which is detailed in Schedule 1. Specifically, section 3 of the Declaration amends the original Declaration by specifying the organisations eligible for the medal and the periods during which their service qualifies for consideration. These amendments list various Australian contingents and organisations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Australian Red Cross, along with the exact commencement and termination dates of their service in Cambodia. This amendment ensures that the eligibility criteria for the medal are clearly defined and updated to include additional organisations and periods of service. The obligations and requirements imposed by this Act concern the eligibility of personnel from specified organisations who served in Cambodia during the designated periods. Eligible individuals may apply for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Cambodia) if they meet the criteria outlined in Schedule 1. This includes serving with one of the listed organisations within the specified timeframes. The Declaration also mandates that the amendment be published and come into effect immediately upon gazettal, ensuring that the changes are promptly and widely communicated to relevant parties. Breach of the provisions outlined in this Declaration does not explicitly detail specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences. However, any actions taken under the authority of this Declaration, such as the distribution or validation of the medal, would be subject to the general legal standards and regulations governing such activities in Australia. Incorrect or fraudulent claims for the medal might be subject to penalties under other relevant laws pertaining to fraud or misrepresentation, although these are not specified in the Declaration itself. The primary focus of the Declaration is on clarifying and extending eligibility criteria rather than on punitive measures for non-compliance.