EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES NO. 266 OF 1982
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Trade and Resources.
TRADE COMMISSIONERS ACT 1933
TRADE COMMISSIONERS REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Regulation 6 - Travelling Allowance within Australia.
Section 12 of the Trade Commissioners Act 1933 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing all matters which by the Act are required or permitted to be prescribed, or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed, for giving effect to the Act.
Sub-Section 4(2) of the Act provides that a Trade Commissioner or an Assistant Trade Commissioner who was not, immediately prior to his appointment, an officer of the Public Service of the Commonwealth shall be paid such salary, allowances and expenses as are prescribed or as the Governor-General in any particular case determines. Sub-Section 6(3) of the Act provides that an officer of the Public Service of the Commonwealth, who is appointed a Trade Commissioner or an Assistant Trade Commissioner, shall be paid salary at the same rate as he was being paid immediately prior to his appointment, together with such additional remuneration and allowances as are prescribed or as the Governor-General in any particular case determines.
The Prime Minister has directed that the Public Service Board will be the general co-ordinating authority for conditions of service for Trade Commissioner staff.
The agreement of the Public Service Board has been obtained to extend to Trade Commissioners new rates of travelling allowance as applicable to public servants when travelling on duty in Australia.
The effect of the proposed insertion of the amendment to Regulation 6 would be to increase allowances for accommodation, meals and associated incidental costs from $55.25 to $65.00 per day for Trade Commissioners Grades C and D and Assistant Trade Commissioners and from $70.00 to $85.00 per day for Trade Commissioners Grade B and above with effect from 1 May 1982.
The retrospective operation of the proposed Regulation would not prejudice the rights of any person other than the Commonwealth and is not, therefore, prohibited by sub-section 48(2) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.