Naval Forces Regulations (Amendment)

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Statutory Rules

1979 No. 251

REGULATIONS UNDER THE NAVAL DEFENCE ACT 1910*

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 Naval Defence Act 1910.

Dated this twenty-seventh day of November 1979.

Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command,

J. E. McLeay

Minister of State for Administrative Services for and on behalf of the

Minister of State for Defence

AMENDMENTS OF THE NAVAL FORCES REGULATIONS†

Establishments

1. Regulation 12 of the Naval Forces Regulations is amended by inserting in sub-regulation (1) “, these Regulations ” after “ the Act ”.

* Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 30 November 1979.

† Statutory Rules 1935 No. 133 as amended by Statutory Rules 1936 Nos. 63 and 119; 1938 Nos. 20, 46, 70 and 91; 1939 Nos. 26, 27, 72 and 143; 1940 Nos. 123, 135, 147, 197, 217 and 240; 1941 Nos. 21, 187, 215 and 242; 1942 Nos. 48 and 202; 1943 No. 42; 1944 No. 63; 1946 Nos. 26 and 32; 1947 Nos. 34 and 130; 1948 Nos. 37, 87 and 88; 1950 Nos. 4 and 26; 1951 Nos. 53, 66 and 165; 1953 No. 19; 1954 Nos. 28, 115 and 123; 1955 Nos. 5 and 16; 1956 No. 78; 1958 No. 88; 1959 No. 38; 1961 Nos. 51 and 67; 1963 Nos. 113 and 145; 1964 Nos. 143 and 157; 1965 Nos. 56 and 67; 1967 No. 20; 1968 Nos. 15 and 79; 1969 No. 128; 1970 Nos. 35, 71 and 179; 1971 No. 16; 1972 Nos. 1, 44, 75, 125 and 158; 1973 Nos. 58, 105 and 274; 1974 No. 78; 1975 No. 1; 1976 Nos. 15 and 56; and 1978 Nos. 54 and 75.

 

 

 

1124/79 —Recommended retail price 20c 13/10.1979


2. After Division 3a of Part I of the Naval Forces Regulations the following Division is inserted:

“ Division 4—Ranks of officers and sailors

Ranks of officers

“ 21. (1) Subject to sub-regulations (2) and (3), the ranks of officers (other than chaplains) in order of seniority, commencing with the most senior rank, shall be the ranks specified in Column 2 of the following table:

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Item

Ranks other than for chaplains and Naval Police

Ranks for Naval Police

1

Admiral of the Fleet

 

2

Admiral

 

3

Vice-Admiral

 

4

Rear-Admiral

 

5

Commodore

 

6

Captain

 

7

Commander

Superintendent

8

Lieutenant-Commander

Chief Inspector

9

Lieutenant

Inspector

10

Sub-Lieutenant

Sub-Inspector

11

Acting Sub-Lieutenant

 

12

Midshipman

 

13

Cadet Midshipman

 

“ (2) The ranks of officers of the Naval Police shall be the ranks specified in Column 3 of the table in sub-regulation (1).

“ (3) All ranks specified in an item in the table in sub-regulation (1) shall be of equal seniority.

Prior service of female officers

“ 22. (1) For the purposes of determining under section 14 of the Act the seniority of members of the Navy in their respective ranks, an officer of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service, the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service or the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service Reserve who holds substantively a rank specified in Column 2 of the table in this sub-regulation in an item in that table and who, for any period at any time before the commencement of this regulation, held substantively a rank specified in Column 3 or 4 of that table in that item, shall be deemed to have held substantively during the whole of that period the rank specified in Column 2 of that table in that item:

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

Item

Ranks

Former ranks in Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service

Former ranks in Women's Royal Australian Naval Service or Women's Royal Australian Naval Service Reserve

1

Captain

 

Captain

 

 

 

Superintendent

2

Commander

Matron

Chief Officer

3

Lieutenant-Commander

Superintending Sister

First Officer

4

Lieutenant

Senior Sister

Second Officer

5

Sub-Lieutenant

Sister

Third Officer

6

Acting Sub-Lieutenant

 

Third Officer (on probation)

 


“ (2) For the purposes of determining under section 14 of the Act the seniority of members of the Navy in their respective ranks, an officer of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service, the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service or the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service Reserve who for any period at any time before the commencement of this regulation held temporarily a rank specified in Column 3 or 4 of the table in sub-regulation (1) in an item in that table shall be deemed to have held temporarily during the whole of that period the rank specified in Column 2 of that table in that item.

Ranks of female officers

“ 23. (1) An officer of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service, the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service or the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service Reserve who immediately before the commencement of this regulation held substantively a rank specified in Column 3 or 4 of the table in sub-regulation 22 (1) in an item in that table holds, at the commencement of this regulation, substantively the rank specified in Column 2 of that table in that item.

“ (2) An officer of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service, the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service or the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service Reserve who immediately before the commencement of this regulation held temporarily a rank specified in Column 3 or 4 of the table in sub-regulation 22 (1) in an item in that table holds, at the commencement of this regulation, temporarily the rank specified in Column 2 of that table in that item.

Ranks of sailors

“ 24. (1) Subject to sub-regulations (2) and (3), the ranks of sailors in order of seniority, commencing, with the most senior rank, shall be the ranks specified in Column 2 of the following table:

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Item

Ranks other than for Naval Police

Ranks for Naval Police

1

Warrant Officer

Warrant Officer

2

Chief Petty Officer

Sergeant

3

Artificer, 1st Class Mechanician, 1st Class Shipwright, 1st Class

 

4

Petty Officer

Senior Constable

5

Leading Seaman

Constable

6

Able Seaman

Recruit Constable

7

Seaman

 

8

Recruit Apprentice

 

9

Junior recruit

 

 

Junior musician

 

“ (2) The ranks of sailors of the Naval Police shall be the ranks specified in Column 3 of the table in sub-regulation (1).

“ (3) All ranks specified in an item in the table in sub-regulation (1) shall be of equal seniority.”.

Printed by Authority by the Commonwealth Government Printer

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1979 No. 251, Regulations under the Naval Defence Act 1910, were introduced to amend the Naval Forces Regulations, addressing the need to update the ranks and titles within the Royal Australian Navy. The Regulations were made by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, thereby formalising the changes necessary for the modern governance of the Navy. These amendments were designed to provide clarity and consistency in the rank structure, particularly in light of the evolving roles and contributions of women in the Navy, ensuring that their prior service and ranks are recognised and appropriately reflected in the current structure. This legislative instrument aims to maintain the integrity and functionality of the Navy's rank system, accommodating changes in societal roles and service contributions over time.

Scope and Application

The Regulations under the Naval Defence Act 1910, made by the Governor-General and notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 30 November 1979, amend the Naval Forces Regulations to update the ranks of officers and sailors within the Royal Australian Navy. The Regulations apply to all officers and sailors within the Navy, including members of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service, the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service, and the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service Reserve, as well as those within the Naval Police. These Regulations are applicable nationally across Australia, as they are made under the Commonwealth's authority. The scope of the Regulations includes the restructuring of ranks to reflect contemporary standards and practices, ensuring clarity in the hierarchy and equal seniority among ranks as specified. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions within these Regulations; however, their application can be extended or restricted through further subordinate instruments as needed.

Key Provisions

The primary operative sections of this legislative instrument amend the Naval Forces Regulations under the Naval Defence Act 1910, introducing changes to the ranks of officers and sailors, particularly addressing the ranks for female officers and sailors. Regulation 12 has been amended to include references to these Regulations, and a new Division 4 has been added, detailing the ranks of officers and sailors (regulations 21 to 24). Regulation 21 specifies the ranks of officers in order of seniority, with a separate set of ranks for Naval Police. Regulation 22 deals with the prior service of female officers, deeming their former ranks to be equivalent to their current ranks for seniority purposes. Regulation 23 addresses the ranks of female officers at the commencement of these Regulations, ensuring that their ranks are aligned with the new structure. Finally, regulation 24 sets out the ranks of sailors, again with a separate set of ranks for Naval Police. The Act imposes obligations on the parties it governs to adhere to the specified ranks and their seniority, particularly in relation to female officers and sailors. It requires that the ranks of officers and sailors be interpreted and applied as per the tables provided in regulations 21 to 24. This includes ensuring that the prior service of female officers is recognised appropriately for determining seniority, as outlined in regulation 22. The Act also mandates that the ranks of female officers and sailors be adjusted to reflect the new structure from the commencement of these Regulations, as detailed in regulations 23 and 24. Breaches of these Regulations may not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or consequences within the provided text. However, given the nature of military regulations and the importance of adherence to rank structures, any failure to comply with these provisions could potentially result in disciplinary action under military law. Such actions might include administrative penalties, demotion, or other forms of disciplinary measures as deemed appropriate by the relevant military authorities. The exact consequences would be determined in accordance with broader military regulations and the specific circumstances of the breach.

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Military Law
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Regulation
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Definitions & Interpretation
Ranking & Classification
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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.