Public Works Committee Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1969 No. 46, known as the Regulations under the Public Works Committee Act 1913-1966, were enacted in 1969 to address the need for amendments to the prescribed allowances for attendance at meetings and travel for the purpose of performing duties as a member of the Public Works Committee or a Sectional Committee. This legislation was made by the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and was published in the Commonwealth Gazette on 1969. The amendments, outlined in regulation 1, involve changes to the rates of allowances, increasing the fees for attendance at meetings and travel expenses, effective from the first day of December 1968. The policy objective of these amendments is to ensure that the allowances reflect the current economic conditions and the responsibilities of the committee members. The enacting body responsible for this legislative instrument is the Parliament of Australia, acting through the Governor-General in accordance with the Federal Executive Council's advice. The amendments were made under the authority provided by the Public Works Committee Act 1913-1966, which was originally enacted to establish the Public Works Committee to oversee public works and services. The specific aim of these regulations is to adjust the financial compensation for committee members to accurately reflect the costs associated with their duties, thereby maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of the committee in carrying out its responsibilities.

Scope and Application

The Public Works Committee Regulations, made under the Public Works Committee Act 1913-1966, provide specific allowances for members attending meetings of the Committee or its Sectional Committees. These regulations apply to the allowances for attendance at meetings held on or after 1 December 1968, and travel expenses incurred for performing duties as a member of the Committee or a Sectional Committee on or after that date. The regulations specify updated rates for allowances, replacing previous amounts with new figures to reflect changes in costs. The scope of the regulations is limited to the allowances prescribed for attendance and travel purposes, as outlined in the amended regulation 6. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions within these regulations, but the application is restricted to the specified dates and purposes. The regulations do not extend to other forms of compensation or allowances outside the prescribed attendance and travel expenses.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of these regulations, found in regulation 1, pertain to the amendment of regulation 6 of the Public Works Committee Regulations. Specifically, regulation 1 updates the prescribed allowances for attendance at meetings and travel for the purposes of performing duties as a member of the Committee or of a Sectional Committee. The changes involve increasing the allowances for attendance at meetings and travel expenses, replacing the previous rates with new figures. These amendments apply to meetings or travel occurring on or after 1 December 1968, as outlined in regulation 2. The obligations imposed by these regulations on parties or entities governed by them include adherence to the updated allowance rates set out in regulation 1. Members of the Committee or Sectional Committees must ensure they are reimbursed or compensated according to the new rates when attending meetings or travelling for official duties from 1 December 1968 onwards. This adjustment ensures that members are fairly compensated for their time and expenses related to their duties under the Public Works Committee Act 1913-1966. For breaches of these regulations, there are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences mentioned within the text. The regulations primarily focus on updating allowances and do not detail punitive measures for non-compliance. However, it is reasonable to infer that failure to adhere to these updated rates could lead to disputes or claims regarding compensation for attendance and travel expenses, potentially resulting in legal action if disputes cannot be resolved amicably.