Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Great Lakes) Amendment Declaration 2001 (No. 1)

Overview

The Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Great Lakes) Amendment Declaration 2001 (No. 1) was enacted to amend the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Great Lakes) Declaration 1999, which originally established criteria for awarding the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal in relation to humanitarian operations in the Great Lakes region of Africa. This Amendment Declaration was made under the authority of the Governor-General, William Patrick Deane, and came into effect on the date of its gazettal. The objective of this amendment was to update the list of specified organisations eligible for the award of the medal by including additional humanitarian groups that participated in the operations within the specified timeframe. The enactment was made on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Secretary to Cabinet, Bill Heffernan, ensuring that the amendments aligned with the policy objectives of recognising and honouring the contributions of these humanitarian organisations in the region.

Scope and Application

The Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Great Lakes) Amendment Declaration 2001 (No. 1) amends the 1999 Declaration to expand the list of organisations eligible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal in recognition of their service in the Great Lakes region of Africa. This Declaration applies to entities that were involved in humanitarian efforts during the specified periods, including Australian contingents to international organisations and Australian-based non-governmental organisations such as the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Australian Lutheran World Service, and World Vision Australia. It extends the eligibility for the medal to personnel from these organisations who participated in humanitarian efforts between the dates outlined in the amended Schedule. This legislation applies on a national level within the Commonwealth of Australia and comes into effect upon gazettal. No exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds are explicitly stated in the text, but eligibility is strictly tied to participation in specified organisations during the designated timeframes. The scope of this amendment is limited to the named organisations and does not extend to other humanitarian efforts or entities not listed in the Schedule.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Great Lakes) Amendment Declaration 2001 (No. 1) involve amending the 1999 Declaration concerning eligibility for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Great Lakes) (section 3). This Amendment Declaration, dated 24 May 2001, modifies the list of specified organisations eligible for the medal by adding new organisations and defining their respective periods of participation (Schedule 1). For instance, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency is now eligible for service between 1 May 1994 and 31 December 1996, and the Australian contingent to United Nations organisations serving in the specified hazardous area in relation to the declared operation is eligible from 1 May 1994 onwards (Schedule 1, items 1 and 3). The Act imposes specific obligations on the relevant organisations and individuals who served in the Great Lakes region. These organisations must meet the defined criteria and service periods to be eligible for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Great Lakes). This includes ensuring their personnel were involved in humanitarian activities within the specified timeframes and that they adhere to the regulations set out in the amended Declaration (section 3, Schedule 1). By doing so, they can ensure that their members who served in the region are recognised and awarded the medal appropriately. The Act does not explicitly outline criminal or civil offences or penalties for non-compliance with the amended criteria or periods of participation for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (Great Lakes). However, failure to meet the eligibility requirements could result in individuals or organisations being ineligible for the medal, which may have implications for recognition and honour. It is important for the organisations to verify and document the service periods of their personnel accurately to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria stipulated in the Amendment Declaration (Schedule 1).