STATUTORY RULES
1970 No.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE METRIC CONVERSION ACT 1970.*
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Metric Conversion Act 1970.
Dated this nineteenth day of November, 1970.
Paul Hasluck
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
Sgd. Nigel Bowen
Minister of State for Education and Science.
METRIC CONVERSION REGULATIONS
Citation.
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Metric Conversion Regulations.
Remuneration of members of Board.
2. In respect of any period of office before the first day of January, 1971—
(a) there is payable to the Chairman remuneration at the rate of Six thousand four hundred and fifty dollars per year;
(b) there is payable to the Executive Member remuneration at the rate of Thirteen thousand and thirty-eight dollars per year; and
(c) there is payable to a member, other than the Chairman, the Executive Member or a member who is an officer of the Public Service of the Commonwealth, remuneration at the rate of One thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars per year.
Travelling allowance.
3.—(1.) Subject to regulation 5 of these Regulations, where a member is, in the course of performing his duties, necessarily absent overnight from the city or town in which he ordinarily resides, travelling allowance in respect of the period of absence is payable to him at the rate of Twenty-one dollars per day.
(2.) Travelling allowance payable under this regulation is in addition to, and does not include, the cost of conveyance.
Expense allowance.
4. An allowance, at the rate of Five hundred dollars per year, is payable to the Chairman to recompense him for expenses incurred by him in performing the duties of his office.
Allowances in respect of service outside Australia.
5.—(1.) Where a member performs duty outside Australia and the Territories of the Commonwealth, he is entitled to be paid such allowances as he would be entitled to be paid—
(a) in the case of a member who is an officer of the Public Service of the Commonwealth included in the Second Division—if he were performing those duties as such an officer; or
(b) in the case of any other member—if he were an officer of the Public Service of the Commonwealth and were included in the Second Division.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 1970.
23392/70—Price 5c 9/3.11.1970
(2.) A member who is entitled to be paid travelling allowance in respect of a period under sub-regulation (1.) of this regulation is not entitled to be paid travelling allowance in respect of that period under regulation 3 of these Regulations.
Application.
6. The allowances provided for in regulations 3 and 5 of these Regulations are payable to a member in respect of the performance of his duties as a member on and after the first day of July, 1970.
Printed by Authority by the Government Printer of the Commonwealth of Australia
Overview
The Metric Conversion Regulations were made under the Metric Conversion Act 1970, which was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to facilitate the transition from the Imperial System of Units to the Metric System within Australia. The problem that the Act aimed to address was the need for a coordinated and systematic approach to convert all aspects of Australian society, including industry, commerce, and education, to the metric system, thereby aligning Australia with global standards and practices. The policy objective of the Act was to ensure a smooth and efficient transition to the metric system, minimising disruption to the economy and daily life.
These Regulations, issued under the authority of the Governor-General and the Federal Executive Council, set out the remuneration and allowances for members of the Board responsible for overseeing the conversion process. This includes annual salaries for various positions on the Board, as well as allowances for travel and expenses incurred during the performance of duties, both within Australia and overseas. The allowances and remuneration were structured to ensure that the Board members could effectively carry out their roles without financial impediment.
Scope and Application
The Metric Conversion Regulations, made under the Metric Conversion Act 1970, outline specific allowances and remuneration for members of a board involved in the transition to metric measurements within Australia. These regulations apply to the Chairman, Executive Member, and other members of the board, including those who are officers of the Public Service of the Commonwealth. The regulations specify rates for remuneration, travelling allowances, and expense allowances, with distinct rates for members performing duties outside Australia and those within Australia. The allowances are payable from the first day of July, 1970, and include additional provisions for travel and expenses incurred during the performance of duties. Notably, the application of these regulations extends to members who are officers of the Public Service of the Commonwealth, with different rates for those included in the Second Division.
Key Provisions
The Metric Conversion Regulations (C1970L00182) made under the Metric Conversion Act 1970, detail specific allowances and remuneration for members of a Board involved in the conversion to the metric system. Section 2 outlines the remuneration rates for the Chairman, Executive Member, and other members, effective for any period of office before 1 January 1971. The Chairman is to receive $6,450 per year, the Executive Member $13,038 per year, and other members, excluding those who are officers of the Public Service of the Commonwealth, $1,950 per year. Section 3 specifies that a travelling allowance of $21 per day is payable to a member who is necessarily absent overnight from their usual residence while performing duties, with this allowance being separate from the cost of conveyance. Additionally, Section 4 provides that the Chairman is to receive an expense allowance of $500 per year to cover expenses incurred in performing his duties. Section 5 details that members who perform duties outside Australia and the Commonwealth territories are entitled to allowances comparable to those they would receive if they were performing such duties as officers of the Public Service of the Commonwealth in the Second Division.
The obligations imposed by these Regulations on the members of the Board include adherence to the specified remuneration and allowance structures. Members are required to maintain records of their travel and expenses to justify claims for allowances under Sections 3 and 5. The Chairman, in particular, must provide documentation to substantiate the annual expense allowance claimed under Section 4. The Regulations mandate that all claims for allowances must be made in accordance with the prescribed rates and conditions, and failure to comply with these provisions may result in the denial of allowances.
Failure to comply with the provisions of the Metric Conversion Regulations may have civil or administrative consequences, although the specific consequences are not outlined within the text of these Regulations. Typically, breaches of statutory regulations may lead to penalties such as fines or other sanctions, but the exact penalties would depend on the broader legislative framework and any related acts or regulations. The Regulations themselves do not explicitly state penalties or consequences for non-compliance, which would likely be addressed in other related legislation or administrative guidelines.