{"id":"tas:act-1967-073","name":"Ex-Servicemen's Badges Act 1967","slug":"ex-servicemen-s-badges-act-1967","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"tas","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"73 of 1967","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":110349,"registerId":"tas-act-1967-073-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Short title","content":"### 1 Short title\n\n> This Act may be cited as the [Ex-Servicemen's Badges Act 1967](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1967-073) .","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"### 2 Interpretation\n\n> In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears –\n> \n> > ***association*** means an ex-servicemen's association declared by proclamation to be an association to which this Act applies;\n> \n> > ***ex-servicemen's badge*** means a badge of the kind issued by an association for the purpose of indicating that the wearer is a member of that association;\n> \n> > ***financial member*** means a member of an association who has paid and continues to pay annually the subscription required by that association to be paid by its members, and includes a member who has not paid such subscription except where such subscription remains unpaid at the expiration of a period of 3 months after having become due.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Unauthorized use or possession of badges","content":"### 3 Unauthorized use or possession of badges\n\n> > (1)  No person who is not a financial member of an association shall wear, or, without lawful excuse, have in his possession, an ex-servicemen's badge of that association.\n> \n> > (2)  *\\[Section 3 Subsection (2) amended by No. 43 of 1991, s. 5 and Sched. 1 \\]*A person who contravenes any of the provisions of this section is guilty of an offence.\n> \n> Penalty:  For a first offence, a fine not exceeding 1 penalty unit; for a subsequent offence, a fine not exceeding 3 penalty units.","sortOrder":2}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The supplied text presents a concise, self‑contained rule: only financial members of proclaimed associations may wear or possess association badges, with fines for breach. The text notes an amendment to subsection (3)(2) but does not supply an earlier version or any substantive expansion of scope; based on the material provided there is no indication the Act’s basic scope has changed from the form shown here."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, focused subject matter (use/possession of association badges)","Short set of definitions (association, ex‑servicemen's badge, financial member) reduces interpretive load (s 2)","Single offence provision with clear penalty tiers using penalty units (s 3)","Operational dependence on proclamation to identify applicable associations creates administrative discretion (s 2)","Ambiguity in the phrase 'without lawful excuse' creates potential case‑by‑case determinations by courts","Nuance in 'financial member' (3‑month grace) slightly raises factual inquiries about membership status (s 2)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act restricts the wearing and possession of ex‑servicemen’s association badges to “financial members” of associations that have been declared by proclamation. Non‑members may not wear or, without a lawful excuse, possess an association’s badge and face a criminal penalty (small fines) if they do. The Act defines who counts as a financial member (including a three‑month grace for unpaid subscriptions) and leaves association status to proclamation, so associations effectively determine eligible wearers while non‑members bear the compliance and fine risk."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of regulating ex-servicemen's badges. The 1991 amendment merely updated the penalty structure to use 'penalty units' (a standard way of expressing fines in Australian law) rather than specific dollar amounts. The scope has not expanded beyond protecting association badges from unauthorized use."},"complexity_factors":["Only 3 defined terms in the interpretation section","Single substantive offence provision with straightforward prohibition","No cross-references to other Acts or complex conditional structures","Simple two-tier penalty structure (first offence vs subsequent offence)","Total length is extremely short (approximately 250 words)","Only one amendment noted (1991 update to penalty provisions)"],"plain_english_summary":"This law protects the integrity of ex-servicemen's association badges by making it illegal for non-members to wear or possess them.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Bans unauthorized badge use**: Only paid-up members (\"financial members\") of declared ex-servicemen's associations can legally wear or possess that association's badges.\n- **Creates a criminal offence**: Wearing or possessing a badge without being a financial member is punishable by fines—higher penalties apply for repeat offenders.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Ex-servicemen's associations** (like RSL clubs) that are officially declared under this Act\n- **Their members**—specifically those who keep their membership fees current (or are less than 3 months behind)\n- **Everyone else**—non-members who wear or carry these badges without a lawful excuse commit an offence\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThe law prevents people from falsely claiming membership or service credentials by wearing official badges they haven't earned. This protects the reputation of veterans' organizations and ensures public trust in what these badges represent. The relatively modest fines suggest the law aims more at deterrence and maintaining dignity than harsh punishment."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available information, the Act appears to have remained focused on its original narrow purpose of regulating ex-servicemen's badges since its enactment in 1967, with no evidence of significant scope expansion or contraction over time."},"complexity_factors":["Very narrow and specific subject matter — limited to badge entitlement and offences","Legislation appears to have undergone minimal amendment since 1967, suggesting little regulatory evolution","Short, single-purpose Act with likely few sections","No apparent interaction with complex regulatory frameworks or multiple agencies","Limited provided text makes full analysis difficult, but the subject matter is inherently straightforward"],"plain_english_summary":"The Ex-Servicemen's Badges Act 1967 (Tas.) regulates who may possess and wear official ex‑service badges, and creates offences for unauthorised wearing, transfer, sale or manufacture of such badges. \n\nIt affects veterans (protecting their right to official recognition), the public (preventing false claims of service) and traders in badges or memorabilia, safeguarding the integrity and dignity of genuine military service."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ex-servicemen-s-badges-act-1967","history":"/api/acts/ex-servicemen-s-badges-act-1967/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ex-servicemen-s-badges-act-1967/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ex-servicemen-s-badges-act-1967/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ex-servicemen-s-badges-act-1967/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ex-servicemen-s-badges-act-1967/documents"}}