Defence (Security Authorised Member of the Defence Force—Training and Qualification Requirements for Military Working Dog Handlers) Determination 2026
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Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia
Defence (Security Authorised Member of the Defence Force—Training and Qualification Requirements for Military Working Dog Handlers) Determination 2026
I, Major General Christopher Smith, DSC, AM, CSC, Deputy Chief of Army, delegate of the Minister for Defence, make the following determination.
Dated 16 March 2026
Major General Christopher Smith, DSC, AM, CSC
Deputy Chief of Army
Contents
1 Name
2 Commencement
3 Authority
4 Definitions
5 Training and qualification requirements
6 Schedules
Schedule 1—Repeals
1 Name
This instrument is the Defence (Security Authorised Member of the Defence Force—Training and Qualification Requirements for Military Working Dog Handlers) Determination 2026.
2 Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after this instrument is registered.
3 Authority
This instrument is made under subsection 71C(4) of the Defence Act 1903.
4 Definitions
In this instrument:
security authorised member of the Defence Force has the same meaning given by section 71C of the Defence Act 1903.
Note: Paragraph 71C(5)(b) of the Defence Act 1903 provides that the Minister must determine training and qualification requirements that apply to security authorised members of the Defence Force in relation to the use of dogs as referred to in section 72M of the Defence Act 1903.
5 Training and qualification requirements
(1) This section sets out the training and qualification requirements for a person to be a military working dog handler.
(2) The person must satisfy the training requirements set out in subsections 5(2) and 5(3) of the Defence (Security authorised member of the Defence Force—Training and qualification requirements for Identification and Search Wardens) Determination 2025.
(3) If the person is a member of the Royal Australian Air Force the person must have:
(a) successfully completed the Military Working Dog Handler Basic Course; and
(b) while working with an assigned dog as a military working dog team—been assessed by the manager of a military working dog section in the Royal Australian Air Force as proficient at the operational level of capability.
(4) If the person is a member of the Australian Army and is assigned an explosive detection dog, the person must have:
(a) successfully completed the Australian Army Explosive Detection Dog Basic Handler Course; and
(b) while working with an assigned dog as a military working dog team—been assessed by the manager of a military working dog section in the Australian Army as proficient at the minimum level of capability.
(5) The person must:
(a) if the person is a member of the Royal Australian Air Force—successfully complete the Military Working Dog Proficiency Assessment every 12 months; or
(b) if the person is a member of the Australian Army and is assigned an explosive detection dog—successfully complete the Explosive Detection Dog Continuation Training every 12 months.
6 Schedules
Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.
Schedule 1—Repeals
Defence (Security Authorised Members— Military Working Dog Handlers: Training and Qualification Requirements) Determination 2015
1 The whole of the instrument
Repeal the instrument