Royal Military College of Australia Regulations (Amendment)

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STATUTORY RULES.

1933. No. 170.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE DEFENCE ACT 1903-1932.

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Defence Act 1903-1932.

Dated this Eighth day of June, 1933.

(Sgd.) ISAAC A. ISAACS

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

for Minister of State for Defence.

Regulations for the Royal Military College of Australia.

(Statutory Rules 1926, No. 179, as amended to this date.)

Amendments.

1. Regulation 8 is repealed and the following regulation substituted:—

“8. (i) The number of vacancies for Commonwealth Cadets under nineteen years of age will be published annually in the Commonwealth Gazette.

(ii) One-fifth of the vacancies allotted annually for candidates under nineteen years of age will normally be reserved for the sons of persons who have been on active service abroad in the Royal Australian Navy or in an expeditionary force raised by the Commonwealth or by a Colony that became a State of the Commonwealth—

Provided that—

(a) no such candidate will be admitted who fails to qualify at a prescribed examination, or is physically unfit, or is not recommended by the Selection Board referred to in sub-regulation (iii) of this regulation; and

(b) if less than one-fifth of the candidates qualify under this sub-regulation the remaining vacancies will be allotted to other qualified candidates.

(iii) (a) A Selection Board consisting of three officers appointed by the Military Board shall, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this sub-regulation, interview all candidates under nineteen years of age who have been found physically fit by a Medical Board in accordance with Appendix VI. of these Regulations and who have either qualified at a prescribed examination or are candidates for such an examination which has been or will be held prior to the date of entry to the College.

(b) The Selection Board shall sit at such places as may be determined by the Military Board.

(c) A candidate from a State or Territory which is not included in the itinerary of the Selection Board may be required to undergo a provisional interview in such State or Territory before a Provisional Committee which shall be appointed by the Military Board and shall make a recommendation as to the suitability or otherwise of the candidate to appear before the Selection Board.

(d) The Selection Board shall present to the Chief of the General Staff for submission to the Minister the names of candidates, arranged in order of merit, whom they recommend for admission to the College. In determining the order of merit the Board will take into consideration the marks obtained at a prescribed examination, the records submitted by schoolmasters and by the candidates, and the personal qualities revealed at the interview.”

2. Regulation 9 is amended by deleting the word “seniority” and substituting the word “merit”.

3. Regulation 11 is repealed and the following regulation substituted:—

“11. (i) An entrance examination for candidates over nineteen years of age will be held each year, and will begin on the third Monday in October unless otherwise notified in the Commonwealth Gazette. The syllabus for this examination will be as prescribed in Appendix V. of these Regulations.

(ii) Candidates under nineteen years of age will not usually be specially examined, but will be required to qualify (in accordance with Appendix IV. of these Regulations) at Public Examinations held by the Universities, or Government Departments dealing with Public Education, in the several States or Territories.

(iii) Successful candidates, over nineteen years of age, will join at the beginning of the Autumn Term. Successful candidates, under nineteen years of age, will join on the 1st March: provided that when the 1st March is a Sunday they will join on the last day of February.”

4. Appendix IV. is amended in “(ii) syllabus for candidates under 19 years of age “by—

(a) deleting paragraph 2 and substituting the following paragraph:—

“2. The above subjects must be passed at the Public Examinations for either the ‘Leaving’ (or ‘Senior’) or the ‘Intermediate’ (or ‘Junior’) certificate, provided that all subjects need not necessarily be passed in any one year.”; and

(b) deleting in paragraph 4 the words “The Commandant, Royal Military College, may at his discretion” and substituting the words “The Selection Board, referred to in Regulation 8, may”.

5. Appendix V. is amended by—

(a) inserting in paragraph 3 the following sub-paragraph:—

“(f) Forward to the President of the Board appointed under (d), in sufficient time to reach him before the written examination begins, A.A.F. K.7 (vide Appendix VI., para. 9).”; and

(b) deleting in paragraph 11 (ii) (f) the word and figure “para. 7” and substituting the word and figure “para. 9”; and

6. Appendix VI. is amended by—

(a) deleting paragraph 1 and substituting the following paragraph:—

“1. A candidate for admission to the Royal Military College must be in good health, free from any physical defect of body, impediment of speech, defect of hearing, and also from predisposition to constitutional or hereditary disease or weakness of any kind, possess vision as determined by the approved tests, and be in all respects well developed and active in proportion to his age.”; and

(b) deleting in paragraph 2 the word “They” and substituting the word “Candidates”; and

(c) inserting in paragraph 3, next after the word “power”, the words subject to confirmation by the Director-General of Medical Services,”; and

(d) deleting paragraph 6 and substituting the following paragraph:—

“6. A.A.F. D.1 and A.A.F. D.4, for all candidates, will be completed as far as applicable, and attached to the Proceedings of the Medical Board.”; and

(e) deleting paragraph 8 and substituting the following paragraph:—

“8. The proceedings of the Medical Board, in duplicate, with A.A.F. D.1 and A.A.F. D.4 attached, will be forwarded to the Director-General of Medical Services for review and transmission to the Commandant, Royal Military College.”; and

(f) deleting paragraph 9 and substituting the following paragraph:—

“9. The Medical Board will, when candidates over nineteen years of age have been examined, complete and forward to the District Base Commandant A.A.F. K.7 with respect to such candidates.”

By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1933 No. 170, issued under the Defence Act 1903-1932, establishes regulations for the Royal Military College of Australia. These regulations were enacted to address the need for a structured and equitable system for admitting cadets to the college, ensuring that candidates meet specific academic and physical standards, and that a merit-based selection process is followed. The regulations were made by the Governor-General, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and aim to enhance the efficiency and fairness of the admissions process. The policy objective is to select cadets based on merit, ensuring they are physically and academically fit, and to provide a transparent process for candidates, parents, and educators.

Scope and Application

The Regulations under the Defence Act 1903-1932, specifically pertaining to the Royal Military College of Australia, apply to prospective candidates for admission, both those under and over nineteen years of age. These regulations detail the admission process, including examination requirements, physical fitness assessments, and selection criteria. The provisions also cover the number of vacancies allocated to candidates with a parent who has served in the Royal Australian Navy or an expeditionary force, with a specific focus on ensuring that these candidates meet the necessary qualifications and undergo appropriate interviews. Geographically, these regulations apply within the Commonwealth of Australia, as they are enacted under federal authority. There are no specific exclusions or exemptions mentioned in the text, but the regulations do specify criteria that candidates must meet, such as passing certain public examinations and being deemed physically fit by a Medical Board. The application and interpretation of these regulations can be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, which are not detailed in the provided text.

Key Provisions

The statutory rules in question, made under the Defence Act 1903-1932, introduce several key provisions concerning the Royal Military College of Australia (RMCA). Regulation 8 details the number of vacancies for Commonwealth Cadets under the age of nineteen, which are to be published annually in the Commonwealth Gazette (Regulation 8(i)). It also specifies that one-fifth of these vacancies are reserved for the sons of individuals who have served abroad in the Royal Australian Navy or in an expeditionary force, provided they meet certain criteria such as passing a prescribed examination, being physically fit, and receiving a recommendation from the Selection Board (Regulation 8(ii)(a), (b)). The Selection Board, consisting of three officers appointed by the Military Board, is responsible for interviewing candidates and presenting a list of recommended candidates to the Minister for final approval (Regulation 8(iii)). These regulations impose several obligations on both the Selection Board and the candidates. The Selection Board is tasked with conducting interviews for candidates under the age of nineteen, determining their suitability based on examination marks, school records, and personal qualities (Regulation 8(iii)(d)). Candidates must meet specific health criteria, including passing physical examinations and obtaining necessary medical certificates (Appendices IV and VI). Furthermore, candidates under nineteen years of age must pass certain public examinations, while those over nineteen must sit for an entrance examination (Regulations 9 and 11). Failure to comply with the provisions outlined in these regulations can result in civil or criminal consequences. For instance, candidates who do not meet the specified health criteria or fail to pass the required examinations may be disqualified from admission to the RMCA. Additionally, there may be penalties for providing false information or engaging in misconduct during the application process, although the specific penalties are not detailed in the text. The regulations, however, do not explicitly state maximum penalties for breaches, implying that any legal consequences would be determined by the courts or relevant authorities in accordance with applicable laws.

Area of Law: Military Law
Instrument: Regulation
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Reporting & Disclosure Obligations; Licensing & Registration

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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.

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