Military Financial Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C1978L00234 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Statutory Rules

1978 No. 234

REGULATIONS UNDER THE DEFENCE ACT 1903*

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Defence Act 1903.

Dated this twenty-third day of November 1978.

ZELMAN COWEN

Governor-General

By His Excellencys Command,

D. J. KILLEN

Minister of State for Defence

 

AMENDMENTS OF THE MILITARY FINANCIAL REGULATIONS†

Education allowance

1. Regulation 131 of the Military Financial Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-regulation (1) recognized ;

(b) by omitting sub-regulations (2) to (2f) (inclusive) and substituting the following sub-regulations:

(2) The amount of education allowance payable to a member in respect of the attendance in a year of his child at a school is—

(a) where the child boards and resides at the secondary school at which he is undertaking his course of secondary education—the sum of the amount of boarding allowance ascertained in accordance with paragraph (2a) (a) and the amount of tuition

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 30 November 1978.

† Statutory Rules 1966 No. 35 as amended to date. For previous amendments see footnote † to Statutory Rules 1978 No. 22 and see also Statutory Rules 1978 No. 22, 60, 69, 76, 87, 207, 224 and 226.


allowance ascertained in accordance with sub-regulation (2b); and

(b) in any other case—the amount of boarding allowance ascertained in accordance with paragraph (2a) (b) or (c), as the case requires.

(2a) The amount of boarding allowance is—

(a) where the child boards and resides at the secondary school at which he is undertaking his course of secondary education—an amount equal to so much of the amount in dollars calculated in accordance with the formula—

as does not exceed the amount in dollars calculated in accordance with the formula—

where—

A is the amount to the nearest dollar equal to the sum of the fees and compulsory charges (if any) levied on, or incurred by, the member in the year in respect of the provision for the child of board and residence at the secondary school (other than so much of those fees and charges as is levied or incurred exclusively in respect of a period in respect of which education allowance is not payable to the member or during which the secondary school is in vacation);

B is the number of weeks (not including any period in respect of which education allowance is not payable to the member or during which the secondary school is in vacation) in the year during which the child boards and resides at the secondary school; and

C is the number of weeks in the year during which tuition is given to secondary students at the secondary school;


(b) where the child boards and resides at a guesthouse, hostel or other commercial boarding establishment—an amount equal to so much of the amount in dollars calculated in accordance with the formula—

as does not exceed the amount in dollars calculated in accordance with the formula—

where—

A is the amount to the nearest dollar equal to the sum of the fees and compulsory charges (if any) levied on, or incurred by, the member in the year in respect of the provision for the child of board and residence at the guest-house, hostel or other establishment (other than so much of those fees and charges as is levied or incurred exclusively in respect of a period in respect of which education allowance is not payable to the member or during which the secondary school at which the child is enrolled is in vacation);

B is the number of weeks (not including any period in respect of which education allowance is not payable to the member or during which the secondary school at which the child is enrolled is in vacation) in the year during which the child boards and resides at the guest-house, hostel or other establishment; and

C is the number of weeks in the year during which tuition is given to secondary students at the school at which the child is enrolled; and

(c) where the child boards and resides, or resides, at a place other than a school or boarding establishment of a kind referred to in paragraph (a) or (b)—so much of the sum of the fees and compulsory charges (if any) levied on, or incurred by, the member in the year in respect of the

25260/78—23


provision for the child of board and residence, or residence, at that place as does not exceed the amount in dollars calculated in accordance with the formula—

where—

B is the number of weeks (not including any period in respect of which education allowance is not payable to the member or during which the secondary school at which the child is enrolled is in vacation) in the year during which the child boards and resides, or resides, at the place; and

C is the number of weeks in the year during which tuition is given to secondary students at the school at which the child is enrolled.

(2b) The amount of tuition allowance is an amount equal to so much of the amount in dollars calculated in accordance with the formula—

as does not exceed the amount in dollars calculated in accordance with the formula—

where—

A is the amount to the nearest dollar equal to the sum of the fees and compulsory charges (if any) levied on, or incurred by, the member in the year in respect of the provision of tuition for the child at the secondary school (other than so much of those fees and charges as is levied or incurred exclusively in respect of tuition provided during a period in respect of which education allowance is not payable to the member);

B is the number of weeks (not including any period in respect of which education allowance is not payable to the member) in the year during which the child receives tuition at the secondary school; and


C is the number of weeks in the year during which tuition is given to secondary students at the secondary school.

(2c) A reference in paragraph (2a) (a) to a child who boards and resides at the secondary school at which he is undertaking his course of secondary education includes a reference to a child who boards and resides at a hostel maintained by the school for the purpose of providing board and residence for children attending the school ;

(c) by omitting sub-regulation (4) and substituting the following sub-regulation:

(4) Where—

(a) education allowance is payable to a member in accordance with paragraph (2) (a) in respect of the attendance of his child at a school;

(b) the member takes up duty, or the members family takes up residence, in the locality in which the school is situated after the commencement of a school term; and

(c) the child continues to board and reside at the school after the member so takes up duty or the family so takes up residence,

education allowance continues to be payable to the member in respect of the attendance of the child at the school until the child ceases to board and reside at the school or until the end of that school term, whichever first occurs.;

(d) by omitting from sub-paragraph (ii) of paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (5) recognized ;

(e) by omitting from sub-regulation (5b) attending a school as a boarder and substituting boarding and residing at a school ;

(f) by omitting from that sub-regulation in respect of the attendance of the child at the school as a boarder and substituting in accordance with paragraph (2) (a) in respect of the attendance of the child at the school ; and

(g) by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulations:

(8) Education allowance payable in accordance with this regulation may be paid in 3 instalments, each instalment being—

(a) payable at the end of a school term; and

(b) in respect of each of the first 2 instalments—an amount that does not exceed the prescribed amount.


(9) For the purpose of paragraph (8) (b), the prescribed amount, in respect of the attendance in a year of a child at a school, is an amount equal to one-third of the amount that would be payable in respect of the child in accordance with sub-regulation (2) if the attendance in that year of the child at the school were deemed to be attendance of the child at the school in the year immediately preceding that year.

(10) In this regulation, secondary school means—

(a) a secondary school within the meaning of section 5 of the Student Assistance Act 1973; or

(b) a school, other than a secondary school referred to in paragraph (a), in respect of which there is in force a declaration by the Minister that the school is to be treated as a secondary school for the purpose of this regulation..

Application

2. (1) Education allowance is payable in accordance with the provisions of regulation 131 of the Military Financial Regulations, as amended by regulation 1, in respect of the attendance of a child at a school during the year that commenced on 1 January 1976 and during any subsequent year.

(2) In the application of regulation 131 of the Military Financial Regulations, as amended by regulation 1, to and in relation to the attendance of a child at a school during the year that commenced on 1 January 1976—

(a) paragraph 131 (2a) (a) shall be read as if there were substituted 295 for 330 and 1230 for 1300 ;

(b) paragraph 131 (2a) (b) shall be read as if there were substituted 450 for 510 and 1180 for 1470 ;

(c) paragraph 131 (2a) (c) shall be read as if there were substituted 600 for 790 ; and

(d) sub-regulation 131 (2b) shall be read as if there were substituted 50 for 100 and 1300 for 1460 .

Adjustment in certain cases

3. In respect of education allowance payable to a member in respect of the attendance of a child at a school during the period that commenced on 1 January 1976 and ends on the day that is—

(a) where these Regulations come into operation on a day that is part of a school term for that school—the last day of that school term; or


(b) in any other case—the last day of the immediately preceding school term,

the amount of education allowance payable to the member shall be the greater of the following amounts:

(c) the amount payable to the member under the Military Financial Regulations as in force before the commencement of these Regulations;

(d) the amount payable to the member under the Military Financial Regulations as amended by these Regulations.

Overview

Statutory Rules 1978 No. 234, made under the Defence Act 1903, were enacted to amend the Military Financial Regulations, specifically concerning the education allowance payable for the attendance of children at schools. The Regulations were issued by the Governor-General, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and were designed to adjust the education allowance criteria to better reflect the actual costs incurred by members of the Defence Force. This legislative instrument aims to ensure that the financial support provided for children's education aligns with the current financial realities faced by Defence Force members, thereby addressing any gaps in the previous allowances.

Scope and Application

The Statutory Rules 1978 No. 234, made under the Defence Act 1903, provide amendments to the Military Financial Regulations with specific focus on the education allowance payable to members of the Defence Force in respect of their children's attendance at schools. These regulations apply to members of the Defence Force and their families, particularly in relation to the financial support provided for children's education. The geographic and jurisdictional reach of these regulations is national, as they pertain to the Commonwealth of Australia. Notably, these regulations do not specify any exclusions or exemptions, and they extend the application through subordinate instruments by amending existing regulations. The adjustments to education allowances are specifically for the period starting from 1 January 1976, with provisions for calculating allowances based on the type of boarding and the number of weeks of tuition. The regulations also detail the method for paying education allowances in instalments at the end of each school term.

Key Provisions

The Regulations under the Defence Act 1903, specifically Statutory Rules 1978 No. 234, amend Regulation 131 of the Military Financial Regulations, primarily concerning the education allowance for members of the defence force. Regulation 131(1) stipulates that education allowance is payable for a child's attendance at a school during the year that commenced on 1 January 1976 and any subsequent years. The amount of this allowance is determined by whether the child boards and resides at the secondary school or elsewhere. Sub-regulations (2) and (2a) detail the formula for calculating the boarding and tuition allowances based on fees, compulsory charges, and the duration of the school term. Regulation 131(4) ensures that if a member takes up duty or their family moves to the school's locality after the start of a school term, the allowance continues to be paid until the end of that term or until the child ceases to board and reside at the school. The Regulations impose obligations on members of the defence force and the relevant authorities to ensure that the education allowance is calculated and paid correctly. Members must provide accurate information regarding their children's attendance and the fees paid, while the authorities are required to apply the specified formulas and make appropriate adjustments when necessary. Regulation 131(8) and (9) further outline that the allowance may be paid in three instalments, with the first two instalments not exceeding a prescribed amount. Regulation 131(10) defines the term "secondary school" for the purposes of the Regulations. Non-compliance with these Regulations can result in various consequences. While the document does not explicitly state penalties, breaches of the Defence Act 1903 or related regulations could lead to civil or criminal liabilities, including fines or imprisonment, depending on the nature and severity of the breach. The exact penalties would be determined by the relevant courts based on the specific circumstances of each case.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Military Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Regulatory Standards

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

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.