{"id":"tas:sr-2016-090","name":"Ambulance Service Regulations 2016","slug":"ambulance-service-regulations-2016","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"tas","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"90 of 2016","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":186362,"registerId":"tas-tas:sr-2016-090-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Short title","content":"### 1 Short title\n\n> These regulations may be cited as the [Ambulance Service Regulations 2016](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/sr-2016-090) .","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"### 2 Commencement\n\n> These regulations take effect on 29 November 2016.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Payment to volunteers","content":"### 3 Payment to volunteers\n\n> The Commissioner, with the approval of the Minister, may pay to any person, in respect of voluntary services rendered by that person to the Commissioner, any amount the Commissioner considers reasonable in a manner the Commissioner considers appropriate.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Reimbursing volunteer ambulance officers","content":"### 4 Reimbursing volunteer ambulance officers\n\n> > (1)  The Commissioner, on the recommendation of a regional manager, may reimburse a volunteer ambulance officer who has incurred out-of-pocket expenses, while providing ambulance services, any amount the Commissioner considers appropriate.\n> \n> > (2)  A regional manager may reimburse a volunteer ambulance officer who has incurred out-of-pocket expenses, while providing ambulance services, any amount the regional manager considers appropriate, if the reimbursement is in accordance with a policy determined by the Commissioner.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interstate ambulance services","content":"### 5 Interstate ambulance services\n\n> [*\\[Regulation 5 Inserted by S.R. 2018, No. 82, Applied:26 Dec 2018\\]*](/view/html/inforce/2018-12-26/sr-2018-082#GS4@EN) For the purposes of [section 38A of the](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1982-105#GS38A@EN) [Ambulance Service Act 1982](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1982-105) , each of the following ambulance services is prescribed for the purposes of the definition of *interstate service* in that section:\n> \n> > > (a) the Ambulance Service of NSW within the meaning of the *Health Services Act 1997* of New South Wales;\n> > \n> > > (b) the Ambulance Service –Victoria within the meaning of the *Ambulance Services Act 1986* of Victoria;\n> > \n> > > (c) the Queensland Ambulance Service established under section 3A of the *Ambulance Service Act 1991* of Queensland;\n> > \n> > > (d) the SA Ambulance Service Inc continued in existence under section 49 of the *Health Care Act 2008* of South Australia;\n> > \n> > > (e) the ACT Ambulance Service established under section 40 of the *Emergencies Act 2004* of the Australian Capital Territory;\n> > \n> > > (f) St John Ambulance Western Australia Ltd (ABN 55 028 468 715);\n> > \n> > > (g) St John Ambulance Australia NT Inc (ABN 85 502 986 808).\n\nDisplayed and numbered in accordance with the *[Rules Publication Act 1953](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1953-050)*.\n\nNotified in the *Gazette* on 16 November 2016\n\nThese regulations are administered in the Department of Health and Human Services.","sortOrder":4}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. Regulation 5 was inserted in 2018 and adds a prescribed list of organisations that qualify as 'interstate services' for section 38A of the Ambulance Service Act, expanding the regulations’ content compared with the original 2016 text which did not contain that list (reg 5; insertion note)."},"complexity_factors":["Broad discretionary payment power vested in the Commissioner, subject only to Ministerial approval for payments to volunteers (reg 3).","Dual reimbursement routes: Commissioner may reimburse on a regional manager's recommendation, and regional managers may reimburse under Commissioner policy (reg 4(1)–(2)), creating potential for inconsistent outcomes across regions.","Policy dependence: regional manager reimbursements require a Commissioner-determined policy (reg 4(2)), introducing administrative rule‑making and compliance tracking.","Cross-reference to the Ambulance Service Act (s 38A) for the meaning of 'interstate service', requiring coordination between instruments (reg 5).","Regulation 5 prescribes a discrete list of organisations (including statutory services and named St John entities with ABNs), which is precise but requires future amendment to change scope (reg 5).","Low textual complexity overall due to short length, but high executive discretion increases operational variability and decision-making burden on the Department."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations let the Ambulance Commissioner (with the Minister’s approval) pay volunteers for services and allow reimbursement of volunteers’ out‑of‑pocket costs, with regional managers able to reimburse under Commissioner policy (regs 3–4). They also prescribe which state and territory ambulance organisations count as ‘interstate services’ for the Ambulance Service Act (reg 5). This sets who decides payments, creates discretion-based payment entitlements, and clarifies which external services fall within the Act’s interstate rules."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available metadata, there is no indication that the scope of these regulations has shifted materially from their original intent. The single amendment noted (effective 26 December 2018) appears to be a routine update rather than a substantive expansion or restriction of the regulations' reach. Without access to the full text, a definitive scope assessment cannot be made."},"complexity_factors":["Only administrative/header metadata was provided — no substantive regulatory content was included in the supplied text","Regulations of this type are typically straightforward procedural instruments rather than complex legislative schemes","The document appears to be a Tasmanian subordinate instrument (statutory rule) made under a parent Act, which adds a layer of interpretive dependency on the enabling Act","Limited version history visible (one amendment noted from December 2018), suggesting relatively stable and uncomplicated content"],"plain_english_summary":"The Ambulance Service Regulations 2016 (Tasmania) set the practical, enforceable rules under the Ambulance Service Act that govern how Ambulance Tasmania operates, affecting staff, paramedics, patients and anyone interacting with the service. They matter because they frame day‑to‑day requirements—administration, operations, fees, complaints and standards—ensuring consistent, accountable ambulance services.\n\nNote: the full regulatory text wasn’t provided, so a detailed analysis of specific provisions isn’t possible from the supplied content."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations remain tightly focused on their original purpose: administrative matters concerning volunteer payments and interstate service recognition. The 2018 amendment adding regulation 5 expanded the content but did not shift the fundamental scope – it remained within the same subject matter (ambulance service administration) and was explicitly contemplated by the parent Act's provision for prescribing interstate services."},"complexity_factors":["Only 5 substantive provisions total","No defined terms section – terms like 'Commissioner' and 'regional manager' rely on the parent Ambulance Service Act 1982","Minimal conditional logic – only simple approval hierarchies (Commissioner needs Minister approval; regional managers need Commissioner policy)","Single cross-reference to parent Act (section 38A of Ambulance Service Act 1982)","Straightforward list structure in regulation 5 with no nested subsections","No exceptions, exemptions, or penalty provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThese regulations set out practical rules for how Tasmania's ambulance service manages money matters for volunteers and recognises ambulance services from other Australian states and territories.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n* **Volunteer ambulance officers** – people who give their time to help the ambulance service without being paid regular wages\n* **The Commissioner of Ambulance Services** – the head of Tasmania's ambulance service\n* **Regional managers** – senior staff who run ambulance operations in different parts of Tasmania\n* **Other state ambulance services** – the ambulance services from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory\n\n**The three main things covered:**\n\n1. **Thank-you payments for volunteers** (Section 3): The Commissioner can pay volunteers for their work, but needs the Minister's approval first. The amount and how it's paid is up to the Commissioner's judgment.\n\n2. **Paying back volunteers' expenses** (Section 4): When volunteers spend their own money while doing ambulance work (like fuel or meals), they can be reimbursed. Regional managers can approve small repayments if they follow official policy. Bigger repayments need the Commissioner's sign-off.\n\n3. **Recognising other states' ambulance services** (Section 5): This lists which ambulance services from other states and territories count as \"interstate services\" under Tasmanian law. This matters for legal and operational purposes when Tasmanian ambulances work with, or transfer patients to, services from other states.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nVolunteers are crucial to ambulance services, especially in rural Tasmania. These rules ensure they can be fairly compensated for their costs and efforts without creating complicated employment relationships. The interstate recognition ensures smooth cooperation during emergencies, patient transfers across borders, and mutual aid arrangements."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ambulance-service-regulations-2016","history":"/api/acts/ambulance-service-regulations-2016/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ambulance-service-regulations-2016/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ambulance-service-regulations-2016/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ambulance-service-regulations-2016/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ambulance-service-regulations-2016/documents"}}