EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1982 NO. 406
PUBLIC SERVICE (SALARIES) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Issued with the authority of the Public Service Board
Sub-section 97(1) of the Public Service Act 1922 (the Act) provides that the Public Service Board may, with the approval of the Governor-General, make regulations prescribing all matters which are required to be prescribed for giving effect to the Act.
Sub-section 30(2) provides that officers of the Second, Third and Fourth Divisions shall be paid salaries at such rates or in accordance with such scales of rates as are prescribed.
Section 18 of the Act specifies that the Board shall furnish reports or recommendations on all matters required to be dealt with by the Governor-General under the Act.
The proposed regulations amend the Public Service (Salaries) Regulations by the insertion of new levels of Aeronautical Telecommunications Officer, Grades 5 and 6 and the insertion of a new designation of Aeronautical Telecommunications Officer-in-training and prescribe rates of pay for such officers.
Increasing workloads at the Department of Aviation’s Communications Centres at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and increasing sophistication of computer-controlled automatic message switching equipment used at the Communication Centres has led to a need for higher classified Aeronautical Telecommunications Officers to provide on-site supervision from within the Aeronautical Telecommunication Officer structure.
The Aeronautical Telecommunications Officer-in-training designation is necessary to provide in the future an adequate supply of trained Aeronautical Telecommunications Officers.
The proposed regulations also provide new designations of Enrolled Nurse and Enrolled Nurse-in-training in place of former designations of Nursing Aide and Nursing Aide-in-training. The purpose of this amendment is to make these designations consistent with terminology used in State Nursing Acts.
Overview
The Public Service (Salaries) Regulations (Amendment) 1982 was enacted by the Public Service Board under the authority of Sub-section 97(1) of the Public Service Act 1922. This amendment was introduced to address the growing demands and technological advancements within the Department of Aviation’s Communications Centres in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The increasing sophistication of computer-controlled automatic message switching equipment necessitated the presence of higher-classified Aeronautical Telecommunications Officers to provide on-site supervision. Additionally, the creation of new Aeronautical Telecommunications Officer-in-training positions aims to ensure a future supply of adequately trained officers. The policy objective of these amendments is to align the designations of nursing roles with terminology used in State Nursing Acts, thereby improving consistency and clarity across different levels of government.
Scope and Application
The Public Service (Salaries) Regulations (Amendment) Statutory Rules 1982 No. 406 amends the Public Service (Salaries) Regulations to introduce new salary levels for Aeronautical Telecommunications Officers, Grades 5 and 6, as well as a new designation of Aeronautical Telecommunications Officer-in-training. This amendment responds to the growing demands of the Department of Aviation’s Communications Centres in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, where increased workloads and the sophistication of computer-controlled equipment necessitate higher-level on-site supervision from within the Aeronautical Telecommunications Officer structure. Additionally, the amendment introduces new designations of Enrolled Nurse and Enrolled Nurse-in-training, replacing the previous titles of Nursing Aide and Nursing Aide-in-training, to align with terminology used in State Nursing Acts. These regulations apply to officers within the specified divisions of the public service and are intended to ensure appropriate remuneration and classification to meet operational needs and regulatory consistency. The amendments do not specify exclusions or exemptions but are subject to the overarching framework provided by the Public Service Act 1922.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of these Statutory Rules include the insertion of new levels of Aeronautical Telecommunications Officer (ATO) Grades 5 and 6, and the creation of a new designation of Aeronautical Telecommunications Officer-in-training (paragraph 2). These provisions, as per section 97(1) of the Public Service Act 1922, mandate the Public Service Board to establish regulations that specify salary rates for officers within the Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions, as per section 30(2). Additionally, section 18 requires the Board to submit reports or recommendations to the Governor-General regarding matters governed by the Act. These amendments are intended to address the increasing demands at the Department of Aviation's Communications Centres and to ensure a future supply of adequately trained ATOs.
The regulations impose obligations on the Public Service Board to adjust the salary scales and job classifications within the specified divisions. Specifically, the Board must now include new levels of ATO Grades 5 and 6 and the designation of ATO-in-training in their salary regulations. Furthermore, the Board must ensure that these changes align with the increasing operational needs and technological advancements within the Department of Aviation. These amendments also require the Board to update the terminology used for nursing roles, replacing "Nursing Aide" and "Nursing Aide-in-training" with "Enrolled Nurse" and "Enrolled Nurse-in-training" to harmonise with State Nursing Acts.
The Statutory Rules do not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for non-compliance. However, given the nature of statutory regulations, failure to adhere to these amendments could result in legal repercussions for the Public Service Board and potentially impact the employment conditions of officers within the specified divisions. The precise consequences of non-compliance would likely be determined by the broader framework of the Public Service Act 1922 and related administrative law principles. It is important for the Board to ensure that these regulations are correctly implemented to avoid any potential legal issues or disputes.