PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL
DETERMINATION
I, General the Honourable David Hurley, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting in pursuance of regulations 5 and 6 of the Public Service Medal Regulations revoke the Public Service Medal Determination made on the eleventh day of November 1991, and hereby determine as follows (see note):
Main Piece
The Public Service Medal is a circular nickel-silver medal 38 millimetres in diameter ensigned with a seven-pointed Federation Star in nickel-silver. The obverse bears an inner circle showing four planetary gears spaced equally around a sun gear at its centre and is surrounded by the words 'PUBLIC SERVICE'. An outer circle shows 36 upright human figures representing a range of occupations and activities. The reverse bears a wreath of mimosa surrounding the inscription 'FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE'. The medal is suspended from a ribbon 32 millimetres wide. The ribbon has 12 alternating stripes of green and gold of varying widths. The widest green stripe appears on the left-hand side and the widest gold stripe appears on the right-hand side. In between are alternating green and gold stripes of varying widths. The medal thickness is 3mm. The height from the top of the suspender bar to the bottom of the medal is 52mm. The total height of the Main Piece is 95mm.
Miniature Piece
The Miniature Piece of the Public Service Medal is a half-size replica of the Main Piece suspended from a miniature ribbon 16 millimetres wide. The medal thickness is 2mm. The height from the top of the suspender bar to the bottom of the medal is 26mm. The total height of the Miniature Medal is 47.5mm.
Lapel Badge
The Lapel Badge of the Public Service Medal is a replica of the central device of planetary gears of the medal 10 millimetres in diameter.
Ribbon Bar
The Ribbon Bar of the Public Service Medal consists of a strip of full-sized ribbon, 32 millimetres wide and 10 millimetres high, with no emblem.
Wearing
The Public Service Medal is worn on the left breast whenever full-size orders, decorations and medals are worn. The Miniature Piece is worn on all occasions when miniatures of orders, decorations and medals are worn. The Ribbon Bar may be worn at any time on uniform or civilian dress at the discretion of the recipient. The Lapel Badge may be worn at any time with civilian dress. The manner of wearing the Public Service Medal is in accordance with the Guide to the Wearing of Insignia.
Order of Wear
The Public Service Medal is worn in accordance with The Order of Wearing of Australian Honours and Awards.
Note
The Letters Patent approved by The Sovereign institutes the medal and ordains that the medal is governed by the Regulations Governing the Award of the Public Service Medal. These Regulations, approved by The Sovereign, set out the terms and conditions of an award, and states that the design, and manner of wearing, of the medal is determined by the Governor General.
This document is known as the Determination and it informs the design of the medal, its associated insignia, and that the order of wearing is in accordance with The Order of Wearing of Australian Honours and Awards and the manner of wearing is in accordance with the Guide to the Wearing of Insignia. The design of the medal and associated insignia must be in accordance with the relevant technical specifications.
The placement of the medal is approved by The Sovereign, and the Order of Wearing of Australian Honours and Awards is the notification by the Governor-General of the positioning of all awards in the Australian honours system.
These instruments collectively inform the rules and conditions associated with the Public Service Medal.
Overview
The Public Service Medal Determination 2023, enacted by the Governor-General, General the Honourable David Hurley, aims to update the design and specifications of the Public Service Medal and its associated insignia. This revocation of the 1991 determination and the establishment of new specifications address the need for a contemporary design that reflects the ongoing significance of public service contributions. This determination is set within the regulatory framework established by the Public Service Medal Regulations, approved by the Sovereign, which governs the award, design, and wearing of the medal. The policy objective is to maintain the integrity and recognition of the Public Service Medal within the Australian honours system, ensuring it remains a relevant and prestigious award.
Scope and Application
The Public Service Medal Determination outlines the specific design, specifications, and protocols for the wearing of the Public Service Medal, a Commonwealth honour established to recognise outstanding service by members of the Australian Public Service. This determination applies to the Public Service Medal, including its various components such as the main piece, miniature piece, lapel badge, and ribbon bar. The regulations are governed by the Public Service Medal Regulations and are subject to the Letters Patent approved by The Sovereign. The determination applies to any individual or entity that has been awarded the Public Service Medal or its associated insignia, and it mandates adherence to the specified design and wearing protocols as outlined in the document. The geographic reach of this legislation is national, applicable throughout the Commonwealth of Australia, and it extends to all recipients of the Public Service Medal. The determination also references the Order of Wearing of Australian Honours and Awards and the Guide to the Wearing of Insignia, which provide further guidance on the placement and wearing of the medal.
Key Provisions
The key provisions of the legislation (Gazette C2023G00652) detail the design, insignia, and wearing of the Public Service Medal, as well as the revocation of the previous determination from 1991. Section 1 of the document revokes the previous Public Service Medal Determination made on 11 November 1991, and section 2 outlines the new specifications for the medal's design and insignia. The main piece of the medal (section 3) is a circular nickel-silver medal, 38 millimetres in diameter, featuring an obverse with planetary gears and an inscription of "PUBLIC SERVICE" and a reverse with the inscription "FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE". The miniature piece (section 4) is a half-size replica of the main piece, suspended from a ribbon 16 millimetres wide. The lapel badge (section 5) is a 10 millimetres diameter replica of the central device of planetary gears, while the ribbon bar (section 6) is a 32 millimetres wide and 10 millimetres high strip of full-sized ribbon with no emblem.
The legislation imposes specific obligations on the design and wear of the Public Service Medal. Section 7 states that the medal and its insignia must adhere to the technical specifications outlined in the document. The wearing of the medal (section 8) is regulated such that the full-size medal is worn on the left breast when full-size orders, decorations and medals are worn. The miniature piece is worn on all occasions when miniatures of orders, decorations and medals are worn. The ribbon bar may be worn at any time on uniform or civilian dress at the recipient's discretion. The lapel badge may be worn at any time with civilian dress. The manner of wearing the medal is in accordance with the Guide to the Wearing of Insignia. The order of wear is specified in The Order of Wearing of Australian Honours and Awards, which is overseen by the Governor-General.
There are no explicit provisions in the legislation regarding offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breach. However, it can be inferred that any deviation from the specified design or wearing instructions might be considered non-compliance with the regulations governing the award of the Public Service Medal. The Regulations Governing the Award of the Public Service Medal, which are approved by The Sovereign, would likely contain provisions for addressing such breaches, including potential revocation of the award, but these are not detailed in the current document.