Gallantry Decorations Regulations

as amended

made under

Letters Patent

This compilation was prepared on 22 May 2009
taking into account Amendments to the Gallantry Decorations Regulations – 1996

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney‑General’s Department, Canberra

Short title

1  These Regulations may be cited as the Gallantry Decorations Regulations.

Interpretation

2  In these Regulations –

“decoration” means –

 (a) the Star of Gallantry;

 (b) the Medal for Gallantry;

 (c) the Commendation for Gallantry; or

 (d) a bar to the Star or Medal;

“Defence Force” has the same meaning as in the Defence Act 1903;

“Minister” means the Minister of State for Defence.

Conditions for award of decorations

3 (1) The Star of Gallantry shall be awarded only for acts of great heroism or conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of great peril.

 (2) The Medal for Gallantry shall be awarded only for acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances.

 (3) The Commendation for Gallantry may be awarded for other acts of gallantry in action which are considered worthy of recognition.

Decorations may be awarded in certain other circumstances

3A  A decoration referred to in regulation 3 may be awarded for an act of a kind mentioned in relation to the particular decoration, although the act did not occur in action, if it occurred in circumstances similar to armed combat or actual operations and those concerned were deployed under military command.

4  Each decoration may be awarded posthumously

5  The persons to whom a decoration may be awarded are—

 (a) members of the Defence Force; and

 (b) other persons determined by the Minister for the purposes of this regulation.

6  Any subsequent award of the Star of Gallantry or the Medal for Gallantry to the same person shall be made in the form of a bar to the Star or, the Medal, as the case may be.

Making of awards

7  Awards of a decoration shall be made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Minister

Making of immediate awards

8 (1) An immediate award of a decoration may be made by Governor-General on the recommendation of the Minister.

 (2) The Governor-General may delegate the authority to make immediate awards on the recommendation of the Minister.

Designations

9 (1) A person to whom the Star of Gallantry has been awarded is entitled to have the letters "SG" placed after the person's name on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary.

 (2) A person to whom the Medal for Gallantry has been awarded is entitled to have the letters "MG" placed after the person's name on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary.

 (3) Where a person has been awarded a bar to a decoration, the person is entitled to have placed after the letters prescribed by the Regulation in respect of that decoration the words “and Bar” or the words "and Bars", as the case may be.

Design of decorations

10  The design of each decoration shall be as prescribed.

Wearing of decorations

11  The manner of wearing each decoration shall be as determined by the Governor- General.

Registrar of Awards

12 (1) There shall be a Registrar of Awards appointed by the Governor-General who shall maintain a Register of the names of persons to whom decorations have been awarded.

 (2) The Registrar shall keep such other records relating to the award of decorations as the Governor-General directs.

Cancellation and reinstatement

13 (1) The Governor-General may cancel an award of a decoration and may reinstate an award so cancelled

 (2) Where an award of a decoration is cancelled, the name of the person to whom the award was made shall be erased from the Register and the person shall return the decoration to the Registrar.

 (3) Where an award that has been cancelled pursuant to sub-regulation (1) is reinstated, the Registrar shall restore the entry or entries in the Register that had been erased.

Notes to the Gallantry Decorations Regulations

Note 1

The Gallantry Decorations Regulations (in force under Letters Patent) as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Instruments

Table of Amendments