Public Service Regulations (Amendment)

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STATUTORY RULES

1970 No.

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REGULATIONS UNDER THE PUBLIC SERVICE ACT 1922-1968.*

THE PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD, acting in pursuance and exercise of the authority conferred upon it by the Public Service Act 1922-1968, hereby makes, subject to the approval of the Governor-General, the following Regulation.

Dated this twenty-seventh day of February, 1970.

Chairman.

Commissioner.

Commissioner.

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby approve the following Regulation.

Dated this twentieth day of March, 1970.

Paul Hasluck

Governor-General.

By His Excellency's Command,

Minister of State for the Army

for and on behalf of the Prime Minister.

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Amendments of the Public Service Regulations†

1. Regulation 112 of the Public Service Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—

Conditions for transfer or promotion from the Fourth Division to the Third Division.

“112.—(1.) For the purposes of this regulation, an officer holds the appropriate educational qualifications for transfer or promotion to the Third Division, if the Board has certified that—

(a) the officer has passed an examination for transfer to the Third Division held by or on behalf of the Board;

(b) the officer has passed, under conditions approved by the Board, in such subjects of a public examination approved by the Board as satisfy requirements determined by the Board for transfer to the Third Division; or

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 1970

Statutory Rules 1935, No. 18 as amended to date. For previous amendments of the Public Service Regulation, see footnote to Statutory Rules 1970, No. 7 and see also Statutory Rules 1970, No. 7.

25960/69-Price 8c 10/29.1.1970

(c) the officer has been admitted, or is eligible to be admitted, to a degree of an Australian University or to a degree of an overseas University, being a degree that in the opinion of the Board is of a standard at least equal to the standard of a degree conferred by an Australian University.

“(2.) The prescribed conditions for the transfer or promotion of an officer from the Fourth Division to the Third Division are—

(a) that the conduct, diligence and efficiency of the officer in the period since the officer was appointed or, if before his appointment as an officer, he was employed in a temporary capacity under the Act, since the commencement of that employment or in the period of twelve months preceding the date of his transfer or promotion to the Third Division, whichever is the less, have been satisfactory;

(b) that—

(i) the officer holds the appropriate educational qualifications for transfer or promotion to the Third Division;

(ii) the officer was previously an officer of the Third Division and was promoted to the Fourth Division or transferred to the Fourth Division (other than by a transfer made in pursuance, of section 55 or 62 of the Act or in pursuance of section 67 of the Act on grounds others than injury or illness);

(iii) in the case of a transfer or promotion to an office referred to in sub-regulation (9.) of regulation 105 of, or in Part V. of the Fourth Schedule to, these Regulations, or of a transfer to the Third Division as the occupant of such an office the officer holds the appropriate educational qualifications for transfer or promotion to the Third Division or the officer has passed an examination conducted by or on behalf of the Board, being an examination determined by the Board to be an examination the passing of which qualifies the officer for transfer or promotion to the Third Division to or in that office; or

(iv) in an appropriate case, the officer possesses the qualifications, and complies with the conditions, specified in a determination by the Board under section 53 of the Act that is applicable in relation to the office in the Third Division to which the officer is to be transferred or promoted; and

(c) in the case of a transfer or promotion to an office in the Third Division, being an office for appointment to which applicants are required, as a condition precedent to appointment, to pass a test approved by the Board for determining their aptitude and capacity for performing the duties of the office, that the Board has certified that the officer has passed such a test.

“(3.) The prescribed condition under which an officer of the Fourth Division who does not satisfy any of the conditions specified in sub-paragraph (i), (ii) and (iii) of paragraph (b) of the last preceding sub-regulation may be transferred or promoted to a vacant office in the Third Division, being an office for the performance of the duties of which an officer is required to possess special skill or technical knowledge is, notwithstanding anything contained in those sub-paragraphs, that, after the notification of the existence of the vacancy has been published in the Gazette, the Board has certified that—

(a) the office is such an office;

(b) the officer of the Fourth Division has the special skill or technical knowledge required for the performance of the duties of the office; and

(c) there is no applicant available for transfer or promotion to the office who is as capable of performing the duties of the office as the officer of the Fourth Division.”.

Preservation of certain rights to transfer from Fourth Division to Third Division.

2.—(1.) Notwithstanding the amendment made by the last preceding regulation or anything contained in regulation 112 of the Public Service Regulations, an officer of the Fourth Division, being a returned soldier, who—

(a) was, immediately before the prescribed date, an applicant for transfer to an office of Clerk in the Third Division; and

(b) had, before the prescribed date—

(i) passed an examination referred to in sub-regulation (1.) of regulation 153 of the Public Service Regulations as in force immediately before that date; or

(ii) passed, in the same year, in any four or more of the subjects of an examination referred to in sub-regulation (2.) of that regulation as so in force,

may be transferred to an office of Clerk in the Third Division, being an office in respect of which salary is payable in accordance with the scale of rates of salary specified in item 1 of Part II. of the Fourth Schedule to the Public Service Regulations.

(2.) The provisions of paragraph (a) of sub-regulation (2.) of regulation 112 of the Public Service Regulations as amended by the last preceding regulation apply in relation to the transfer of an officer to the Third Division in pursuance of the last preceding sub-regulation.

(3.) In this regulation, “the prescribed date” means the eighteenth day of May, 1961, being the date of commencement of regulation 9 of Statutory Rules 1961, No. 68.

Printed by Authority by the Government Printer of the Commonwealth of Australia

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1970 No. ———— are regulations made under the Public Service Act 1922-1968 by the Public Service Board, acting on the authority conferred by that Act. These regulations were enacted to address the need for updated and streamlined conditions for the transfer or promotion of officers from the Fourth Division to the Third Division within the public service. The regulations were approved by the Governor-General on 20 March 1970, following the advice of the Federal Executive Council. The primary policy objective behind these regulations is to ensure that officers meet specific educational and professional criteria before being transferred or promoted, thereby maintaining a high standard of competency and efficiency within the public service. These regulations also preserve certain rights for returned soldiers to be transferred to the Third Division under specific conditions, reflecting the government's commitment to supporting veterans in their career progression within the public service.

Scope and Application

The regulation made under the Public Service Act 1922-1968 amends the Public Service Regulations concerning the conditions for transfer or promotion of officers from the Fourth Division to the Third Division. Specifically, it sets out the criteria for an officer to be eligible for transfer or promotion, including educational qualifications and satisfactory conduct, diligence, and efficiency in their role. It further provides special provisions for returned soldiers who meet certain examination criteria and were applicants for transfer before a specified date. The regulation applies to officers within the Commonwealth public service, impacting their career progression and the criteria for moving between divisions. The changes are made with the approval of the Governor-General and are effective as per the date of publication in the Commonwealth Gazette. The regulation also preserves certain rights for specific officers, ensuring they are not disadvantaged by the new conditions.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Public Service Regulations detail the conditions for transferring or promoting an officer from the Fourth Division to the Third Division. Section 112 outlines the educational qualifications an officer must have, which can be achieved by passing a Board-administered examination, passing specific subjects in an approved public examination, or being admitted or eligible to be admitted to a degree from an Australian or overseas university deemed equivalent by the Board (112(1)). Additionally, the officer must have satisfactory conduct, diligence, and efficiency in their role (112(2)(a)). The officer must also meet specific criteria such as previous service in the Third Division, passing a relevant examination, or meeting any other conditions specified by the Board (112(2)(b)). For certain offices requiring special skills or technical knowledge, the Board must certify that the officer possesses these and that no other candidate is as capable (112(3)). The regulations impose several obligations on officers seeking transfer or promotion. Officers must demonstrate satisfactory conduct, diligence, and efficiency, particularly in the twelve months preceding their transfer or promotion application (112(2)(a)). They must also meet the educational requirements set out in the regulation, such as passing the necessary examinations or holding appropriate degrees (112(2)(b)). For specific roles, officers must pass any aptitude tests required by the Board (112(2)(c)). Furthermore, officers who do not meet the standard requirements but possess special skills or technical knowledge may still be considered if no other suitable candidates are available (112(3)). The regulations do not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties for non-compliance. However, failure to meet the prescribed conditions for transfer or promotion could result in the officer not being eligible for the desired position. This could potentially lead to disciplinary actions or other administrative consequences within the public service framework. The absence of stated penalties in the provided text implies that any repercussions for non-compliance would be determined by the Public Service Act 1922-1968 or other relevant public service legislation.

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