Military Financial Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C1964L00056 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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Statutory Rules 1964, No. 56.(d)

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Calculation of pay.

1. Regulation 13 of the Military Financial Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-regulation (6.) the words “The service” and inserting in their stead the words “Subject to the next succeeding regulation, the service”.

2. After regulation 13 of the Military Financial Regulations the following regulations are inserted:—

Period during which member entitled to pay when absent on account of illness or injury.

“13a.—(1.) Subject to this regulation, a member who has been absent from duty on account of illness or injury for a continuous period exceeding six months is not entitled to pay and allowances under these Regulations in respect of any period of the absence continuing after the expiration of that period of six months.

“(2.) A member who has been absent from duty for a continuous period of six months on account of an illness suffered or an injury sustained whilst serving overseas is, if the Military Board considers that he is unable to resume duty at the expiration of that period of six months by reason of the illness or injury, entitled to pay and allowances under these Regulations in respect of such further period of the absence (if any), not exceeding six months, as the Military Board determines.

“(3.) Where—

(a) a member has been absent from duty for a continuous period of six months on account of illness or injury;

(b) a claim has, within that period of six months, been made under whichever of the Acts referred to in sub-regulation (7.) of this regulation is applicable that the illness or injury is an illness or injury in respect of which that Act makes provision for the payment of compensation or pension; and

 

 

(d) Made under the Defence Act 1903–1956 on 23 April, 1964; notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 30 April, 1964.


(c) the claim has not been determined under that Act within that period of six months,

the Military Board may determine that this sub-regulation applies to the member, and in that case, the member is entitled to pay and allowances under these Regulations during any continuation of the absence that occurs after the expiration of that period of six months and before the expiration of the next succeeding six months or, if, in that next succeeding period of six months, a determination is made under that Act disallowing or rejecting the claim, until the date on which the determination is made.

“(4.) A member who has been absent from duty for a continuous period of six months on account of an illness suffered or an injury sustained that is attributable to service is, if the Military Board considers that he is unable to resume duty after the expiration of that period of six months by reason of the illness or injury, entitled to pay and allowances under these Regulations in respect of such further period of absence (if any), not exceeding six months, as the Military Board determines.

“(5.) Where—

(a) the Military Board has made, under the last preceding sub-regulation, a determination in respect of a member;

(b) the illness or injury that is the cause of the absence from duty of the member resulted in an amputation of a part of the member’s body, or the treatment of which involved amputation, bone-grafting or skin-grafting; and

(c) the Military Board is satisfied that further treatment of the injury or illness is necessary,

the member is entitled to pay and allowances under these Regulations in respect of such further period of the absence, not exceeding six months, as the Military Board determines.

“(6.) Where a member—

(a) has been absent from duty on account of illness or injury;

(b) has resumed duty;

(c) is, within fourteen days after resuming duty, again absent from duty on account of the same illness or injury,

the periods during which the member is so absent shall be deemed to be for the purposes of this regulation, a continuous period of absence from duty.

“(7.) For the purposes of this regulation, an illness or injury is attributable to service if—

(a) it is an illness or injury in respect of which the Commonwealth Employees’ Compensation Act 1930-1962 makes provision for the payment of compensation; or

(b) it is an illness or injury in respect of which the Repatriation Act 1920-1963, the Repatriation (Far Eastern Strategic Reserve) Act 1956-1962 or the Repatriation (Special Overseas Service) Act 1962 makes provision for the payment of a pension.

“(8.) This regulation does not—

(a) entitle a member to pay and allowances; or

(b) authorize the Military Board to make a determination under which a member becomes entitled to pay and allowances,

in respect of any period that occurs after the member attains the prescribed age of retirement or, if the Governor-General has extended the prescribed age of retirement, after the expiration of the period of the extension.

Pay and allowances when absent on account of illness or injury caused by own offence.

“13b.—(1.) Where—

(a) a member has been absent from duty for a continuous period exceeding thirty days on account of illness or injury, whether or not by reason of the fact that he is in hospital; and

(b) the Military Board determines that the illness or injury is due to the action or conduct constituting an offence of which the member has been convicted,

the member shall forfeit—

(c) one-half of his pay in respect of each day, from and including the thirty-first day to and including the ninety-first day, on which he is so absent from duty; and

(d) the whole of his pay and, subject to regulation 23 of these Regulations, the whole of his allowances in respect of each day on which he is so absent from duty after the expiration of ninety-one days.”.

General provisions relating to eligibility for certain allowances.

3. Regulation 23 of the Military Financial Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (2.) the words “regulation 293 of the Australian Military Regulations” and inserting in their stead the words “regulation 13b of these Regulations”.

Interpretation.

4. Regulation 235 of the Military Financial Regulations is amended by omitting from the definition of “dental treatment” the words “, but does not include the supply of precious metals”.

Entitlement.

5. Regulation 236 of the Military Financial Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (2.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation:—

“(2.) For the purposes of this regulation, ‘member’ includes a member of the Australian Cadet Corps.”.

6. After regulation 236 of the Military Financial Regulations the following regulation is inserted:—

Discharged member may be retained in hospital.

“236a. Where a person ceases by retirement, termination of appointment or discharge to be a member while undergoing treatment in accordance with the last preceding regulation in a hospital as an in-patient, the Director-General of Medical Services may, if satisfied that the person is so ill that his removal from hospital might have a seriously adverse effect on his health, authorize his continued treatment in the hospital for such period as the Director-General of Medical Services thinks fit.”.

Overview

Statutory Rules 1964, No. 56, made under the Defence Act 1903–1956, was enacted to address issues related to the calculation of pay for military personnel who are absent from duty due to illness or injury. This legislative instrument was published in the Commonwealth Gazette on 30 April 1964. The regulation clarifies the circumstances under which military members are entitled to pay and allowances when absent from duty due to illness or injury, particularly extending the conditions under which they may be entitled to such payments beyond the standard six-month period. It also outlines the conditions under which members may forfeit pay and allowances if their absence from duty is due to an offence they have committed. The policy objective of the regulation is to ensure that military members receive appropriate financial support when they are incapacitated due to illness or injury, while also maintaining accountability for misconduct.

Scope and Application

The Statutory Rules 1964, No. 56, made under the Defence Act 1903–1956, governs the calculation of pay and allowances for members of the Defence Force who are absent due to illness or injury, with specific provisions addressing their entitlement to pay and allowances under the Military Financial Regulations. This legislation applies to members of the Defence Force, including those who are absent from duty due to illness or injury, and it outlines conditions under which these members may remain entitled to their pay and allowances. Notably, the Act delineates the circumstances under which members may lose their entitlement to pay and allowances, such as when their absence from duty exceeds six months, and sets forth exceptions, including instances where the Military Board determines that the member is unable to resume duty because of their illness or injury. Furthermore, the legislation provides that the Military Board may determine that a member is entitled to pay and allowances if they are absent due to an illness or injury attributable to service, subject to certain conditions. The Act also specifies that it does not entitle a member to pay and allowances after they attain the prescribed age of retirement or the expiration of any extension thereof.

Key Provisions

The Statutory Rules 1964, No. 56 (C1964L00056) amend the Military Financial Regulations, introducing new provisions regarding pay and allowances for military members absent due to illness or injury, as well as certain allowances and eligibility criteria. Regulation 13a stipulates that a member absent from duty for more than six months due to illness or injury is not entitled to pay and allowances after the six-month period unless specific conditions are met, such as being unable to resume duty or the illness being attributable to service. Regulation 13b addresses cases where the member's illness or injury results from their own misconduct, leading to forfeiture of pay and allowances after a certain period of absence. The Act imposes several obligations on military members and the Military Board. Members must comply with the provisions regarding continuous periods of absence and the conditions under which they may be entitled to pay and allowances. The Military Board must assess claims made under related Acts and determine eligibility for continued pay and allowances based on the member's condition and circumstances. They must also make determinations regarding the impact of the member's illness or injury on their ability to resume duty and the necessity for further treatment. Breach of these provisions can lead to serious consequences. Members who are found to have caused their own illness or injury through misconduct may face financial penalties, including the forfeiture of half their pay for the first 60 days of absence and the full forfeiture of pay and allowances thereafter. The Act does not explicitly state maximum penalties for these breaches but implies that severe financial consequences are intended to deter misconduct. Failure to comply with the requirements for pay and allowances could also lead to legal actions for recovery of improperly received benefits. Additionally, the Act provides for the continued treatment of discharged members who are still in-patients at the time of their discharge, under certain conditions. The Director-General of Medical Services must authorize continued treatment if removal from hospital might adversely affect the member's health. This provision ensures that members receive necessary medical care even after their formal separation from service, provided it is deemed medically necessary.

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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.