These Regulations are the Defence (Prohibited Words and Letters) Regulations 1957.

2 Use of words and groups of letters prohibited without consent

The use, in connexion with a trade, business, calling or profession or by an organization or body of persons, of:

(a) a word, or words, specified in the second column of a Part of the Schedule, being a word or words that is or are descriptive or indicative of:

(i) a part of the Naval Forces, Military Forces or Air Forces of a part of the Queen’s dominions; or

(ii) a service or body of persons associated with the defence of the Commonwealth; or

(b) a group of letters specified in the third column of a Part of the Schedule, being a group of letters that is descriptive or indicative of:

(i) a part of the Naval Forces, Military Forces or Air Forces of a part of the Queen’s dominions; or

(ii) a service or body of persons associated with the defence of the Commonwealth;

is prohibited unless the consent in writing of the Minister to the use has been obtained.

3 Applications for consent

(1) An application for the consent of the Minister to the use of a word or words, or a group of letters specified in the second or third column of the Schedule shall be made in writing to the Minister and shall state the grounds upon which the application is made.

(2) The Minister may, by notice in writing, require a person who has made such an application to furnish such additional information in relation to the application as is required by the notice.

4 Grants or refusal of consent

(1) The Minister may, in his discretion, grant his consent to the use of the word, words or group of letters or may refuse the application.

(2) The consent of the Minister may be granted with or without conditions.

5 Delegation

The Minister may, by instrument, delegate to an officer of the Defence Force who holds a rank not below that of Colonel, or an equivalent rank, his or her powers under regulations 3 and 4.

6 Offences

A person must not knowingly use a word, words or a group of letters in contravention of regulation 2.

Penalty: $500.

Schedule Prohibited words and letters

(regulation 2)

Part 1 Australian Navy

Column 1 Item	Column 2 Prohibited Words	Column 3 Prohibited Letters
1	Royal Australian Navy	RAN
2	Her Majesty’s Australian Ship	HMAS
3	Her Majesty’s Australian Ships	HMA Ships
4	Permanent Naval Forces
5	Naval Emergency Reserve Forces	NERF
6	Royal Australian Naval Reserve	RANR
7	Royal Australian Fleet Reserve	RAFR
8	Naval
9	Navy
10	Naval Forces

Part 2 Australian Army

Column 1 Item	Column 2 Prohibited Words	Column 3 Prohibited Letters
1	Australian Army Reserve
2	Australian Flying Corps	AFC
3	Australian Imperial Force	AIF
4	Australian Military Forces	AMF
5	Australian Regular Army	ARA
6	Defence Force
7	Permanent Military Forces
8	Regular Army Emergency Reserve
9	Regular Army Supplement
10	Australian Army

Part 3 Australian Air Force

Column 1 Item	Column 2 Prohibited Words	Column 3 Prohibited Letters
1	Air Force
2	Air Force Emergency Force	AFEF
3	Australian Air Force Reserve	AAFR
4	Permanent Air Force	PAF
5	Royal Australian Air Force	RAAF

Notes to the Defence (Prohibited Words and Letters) Regulations 1957

Note 1

The Defence (Prohibited Words and Letters) Regulations 1957 (in force under the Defence Act 1903) as shown in this compilation comprise Statutory Rules 1957 No. 16 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Statutory Rules

	Year and number	Date of notification in Gazette		Date of commencement		Application, saving or transitional provisions
1957 No. 16		17 Apr 1957	17 Apr 1957
1976 No. 51		6 Feb 1976	9 Feb 1976		—
1981 No. 102		13 May 1981	13 May 1981		—
1990 No. 378		6 Dec 1990	6 Dec 1990		—
2000 No. 41		29 Mar 2000	29 Mar 2000		—
2001 No. 305		15 Oct 2001	[see Note 2]		—

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
R. 1.................	rs. 2000 No. 41
R. 2.................	am. 1976 No. 51; 1981 No. 102
R. 3.................	am. 1976 No. 51
R. 4.................	am. 2000 No. 41
R. 5.................	am. 1976 No. 51
	rs. 1990 No. 378
R. 6.................	ad. 1990 No. 378
Heading to The Schedule..	rep. 1976 No. 51
Heading to Schedule.....	ad. 1976 No. 51
Schedule.............	am. 1976 No. 51; 1981 No. 102
	rs. 1990 No. 378
	am. 2000 No. 41

Note 2

Regulation 2 and Schedule 5 of Statutory Rules 2001 No. 305 provide as follows:

2 Commencement

These Regulations commence on the day on which Chapter 2 of the Criminal Code commences.

Schedule 5

[1] Regulation 2

omit

The use

insert

(1) For this regulation, the use

[2] Regulation 2

omit

prohibited unless the consent in writing of the Minister to the use has been obtained.

insert

a restricted use.

[3] Regulation 2

insert

(2) A person is guilty of an offence if:

(a) the person makes use of a word or words, or group of letters; and

(b) the use is a restricted use; and

Penalty: 5 penalty units.

(3) In paragraph (2) (c), strict liability applies to physical element that the consent was obtained under these Regulations.

Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.

[4] Regulation 6

omit

The commencement of SR 2001 No. 305 was misdescribed and the amendments are not incorporated in this compilation.