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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
This instrument is the Royal Australian Navy’s complete financial rulebook: it fixes pay rates and progression for every rank, sets allowances for clothing, rations, lodging and family support, and creates separate trust accounts. It also tightly controls public spending through designated officers, approvals and mandatory returns.
It affects all permanent and ship‑serving reserve personnel and the administrators who manage naval finances — ensuring transparent, accountable pay and expenditure for naval service.
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Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Naval Financial Regulations.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Statutory Rules 1920, No. 248.[(]a)
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Naval Financial Regulations.
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PART I.
Preliminary.
Repeal.
Parts.
Part I.—Preliminary.
Part II.—General Instructions.
Part III.—Duties of Accountant Officers.
Part IV.—Pay and Allowances.
Part V.—Compensation for Injuries.
Part VI.—Travelling Allowances.
Part VII.—Courts Martial and Courts of Inquiry.
Part VIII.—Medical Attendance, Medicines, and Dental Treatment.
Part IX.—Leave of Absence on ground of Illness.
Part X.—Furlough.
Part XI.—Miscellaneous.
Definitions
“Naval Board” means the Board of Administration for the Naval Forces.
“Secretary” means the Officer appointed to be Secretary to the Department of the Navy.
“Commanding Officer” means the Officer in actual command of one of H.M.A. Ships or Naval Establishments.
“Officer-in-Charge” means the Officer in Charge of a Naval Establishment or Office or District Naval Officer appointed to command a District.
“Director of Navy Accounts” means the Officer appointed to be Director of Navy Accounts in the Office of the Naval Administration or such person as may be appointed by the Naval Board to perform the duties of the position during his absence.
“Accountant Officer” means the Officer in charge under the Commanding Officer of cash, victualling, and clothing duties.
“Certifying Officer” means the Officer appointed by the Naval Board to certify accounts and approve the payment thereof.
“Accounts Officer” means the Officer responsible for the receipt and payment of Public Moneys in Naval Establishment or Office.
“Executive Officer” means an Officer of the Executive Branch of the Forces.
“Minister” means the Minister of State administering the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918.
PART II.
General Instructions.
Regulations not to apply to Cadets.
Responsibility of Commanding Officers.
Officers-in-Charge shall be responsible for enforcing due economy on all Officers and others charged with any expenditure of public money, or with the care, use, or expenditure of stores.
It is the duty of every member of the Naval Forces to assist in carrying out these Regulations.
Each District Naval Officer is authorized—
Expenditure that may be authorized by District Naval Officers.
(a) To approve of all requisitions for stores which are allowed by establishment.
Ordinary services.
(b) To approve of expenditure not exceeding £25 in any one case under Contingencies, provided he has satisfied himself that funds are available; that it is not a new vote or item; that it does not involve any alteration in existing rules or practice; that, in the case of purchase of stores, such stores are allowed by establishment; that there is nothing irregular in the character of the expenditure; and that it is not an allowance or payment to any member of the Forces (except such as is governed by Regulation and does not require Ministerial approval).
Casual labour.
(c) To approve of the employment of casual labour (non-clerical); but no person is to be employed under this authority for any longer time than an aggregate period of six weeks in any financial year without the approval of the Naval Board.
Compensation for injuries.
(d) To approve—in accordance with Regulations—of payments for Compensation for Injuries, provided the award does not exceed payment of compensation for thirty working days, and the medical expenses do not exceed £3 3s.
Striking off stores.
(e) To approve, in accordance with any regulations on the subject, of striking off charge of stores damaged or deficient, provided that the original value of the stores struck off does not exceed £10 in any one month. The value of the stores struck off must be shown in the monthly schedule of expenditure incurred by District Naval Officers.
Increments.
(f) To approve of increments to Warrant Officers, Petty Officers, and men, where such are provided in the Appropriation Act, and prescribed by the Regulations.
Expenditure limited.
| £ | |
|---|---|
| New South Wales.................... | 100 |
| Victoria........................... | 100 |
| Queensland........................ | 75 |
| South Australia...................... | 50 |
| Western Australia.................... | 50 |
| Tasmania.......................... | 50 |
Monthly schedule of expenditure.
Monthly Statement of Expenditure as at / / 19 .
(Note.—It is also necessary to include in this Return the Estimated Authority for Expenditure required for the subsequent month.)
| Vote. | Particulars. | Total Authorities for Expenditure to date. | Total Net Expenditure to date. | Balance of Authority at / /19 . | Additional Authority required for one month. | Remarks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | ||||
| To the Director of Navy Accounts,Navy Office, Melbourne. | ...................................... |
|---|---|
| Certifying Office | |
| at.................................... | |
| Date............................. |
Payments not to be varied.
Voters—re-arrangement of.
Certificate as to funds to be furnished.
(a) The Division, Subdivision, and item of the Estimates to which the expenditure should be charged.
(b) That funds are available.
He shall, in addition, state that, with his knowledge of the requirements for the remaining period of the financial year, the proposed expenditure will not involve the necessity of applying for additional funds under any Vote concerned.
Financial instructions—Accountant Officers to see.
Financial advice.
Audit queries.
All audit queries shall be dealt with through the Certifying Officer, who shall obtain the necessary information and report to the Director of Navy Accounts for the satisfaction of the Treasury and Audit Departments.
Where the position of Accountant Officer does not exist, and a clerk is not appointed for the duties of Certifying Officer, the Accounts Officer shall perform the duties required of the Certifying Officer under the provisions of regulations 14, 15, and 16 only.
PART III.
Duties of Accountant Officers.
Duties of Accountant Officers
(2) He shall be responsible for the disbursement of public moneys in accordance with the Regulations, and the carrying out of any instruction or authority issued by the Naval Board.
Arrears of work.
(3) He shall be responsible that no arrears occur in the work of his office, and that the books are posted up daily, so that they may, at all times, be ready for examination.
Financial adviser.
(4) He shall act as financial adviser to the Officer-in-Charge upon all questions involving expenditure.
Accounts—responsibility as to.
(5) He shall be responsible that all accounts are kept strictly in accordance with the Naval Account Regulations or other approval.
Not to exceed authority for expenditure.
(6) He shall be responsible that the amount authorized for expenditure under any Division or Subdivision of the Estimates, any Loan Appropriation or Trust Fund Credit, is not exceeded without due authority.
Claims inadmissible.
(7) He shall, in the event of receiving any claim which appears to him not authorized by Regulations or instructions, or in regard to which there is doubt as to the admissibility of any charge, point out
the same in writing to the Officer-in-Charge. Should the Officer in Command consider that, on the contrary, such claim is covered by Regulation or authority, and that the charges are admissible, an immediate report as to the circumstances of the case shall be made by him to the Secretary, and the account shall not be paid without the approval of the Naval Board.
Officers due for retirement—notification of.
(8) He shall be responsible that the Officer-in-Charge is informed, in writing, six months before the event, of the name of any member of the Permanent Naval Forces attaining the age prescribed for compulsory retirement, to enable the Officer-in-Charge to take such steps as he may deem necessary in the matter. In no circumstances is a member to be granted pay for any period after the date on which he was, in the ordinary course, due for retirement, unless authority for the extension of his services has first been obtained.
Public funds—how to be dealt with.
(9) He shall not apply Public Moneys to any purpose not authorized by the Regulations, nor shall he advance (except as hereinafter provided), lend, or exchange any sums for which he is accountable, nor shall he exchange private cheques out of public funds. In the case of members of the Forces travelling on duty, where extended absence is probable, and cash payments exceeding a total sum of £5 have to be made, he may make an advance up to 75 per cent. of the maximum allowance that can be claimed.
Advances not to be made without authority.
(10) He shall not advance any moneys to a member of another Establishment or Office, on account of travelling or other expenses, unless authority has first been obtained for so doing from the certifying officer of the Establishment or Office to which the expenditure is to be charged. In the cases of members of the Naval Administration, the authority of the Director of Navy Accounts must be obtained before any such advances are made.
Liable for errors
(11) He shall be liable for the amount of disallowances arising from errors or over-issues made by him in disregard of Regulations, or in the absence of proper authority.
Recovery of vouchers.
(12) Should difficulty be experienced in recovering vouchers, supporting receipts, statements, &c., or money due from officers or others, he shall at once represent the circumstances in writing to the Officer-in-Charge, who shall, if necessary, refer the matter to the Secretary.
Audit queries.
(13) He shall submit to the Officer-in-Charge all queries from the Director of Navy Accounts and the Audit Department, together with the correspondence, if any, involved.
Audit Act and Regulations.
(14) He shall see that a copy of the Audit Act, Treasury Regulations and the Naval Account Regulations is supplied to every officer receiving or disbursing Public Moneys, and shall obtain receipts for such supply.
Responsible for supplies stores, &c.
(15) He is charged with the duty of obtaining requisite supplies of provisions, victualling stores, and clothing for Ships or Establishments.
Instructions as to Payments.
Instructions as to payments, Salaries—general.
Officers’ salaries.
(2) No Officer shall be paid the salary of any position to which he has not been appointed by Order in Council.
Allowances—payment of.
(3) In no case, unless governed by regulation, shall an allowance be paid to any member of the Forces unless such allowance be authorized by the Naval Board.
Overtime.
(4) Overtime shall not be paid for unless the same has received the approval of the Naval Board.
Salaries to be paid from pay vote only.
(5) Salaries must not be paid from any Vote other than a Pay Vote. Temporary assistance, casual labour, and special services are chargeable to items under Contingency Votes, where provision exists.
Temporary employment.
(6) In no case shall any person be temporarily employed without the approval of the Naval Board, except as provided in regulation 8 (c).
Advertising—claims for.
(7) Claims on account of advertising shall, wherever practicable, be submitted to the Government Printer or Advertising Board of the State concerned, for checking, before payment is made.
Transfer of Members of the Forces.
Transfer of members.
In the case of members enlisted or mobilized whose accounts are kept on a ship’s ledger, pay shall be credited on ledger to date of transfer and balance shown on transfer list as carried to next establishment for settlement in the usual course.
The date to which payment has been adjusted shall be indorsed on transfer list in all cases.
Accounts for cost of transfers.
(2) The account for rail, steamer, or other fare of the member transferred shall be rendered to and paid by the office or ship from which the warrant for such service was issued; but the member’s claim for travelling allowance and reimbursement of expenditure incurred consequent upon transfer shall be dealt with by the office or ship to which such member is transferred.
Cheques.—Provision for Signing of.
Cheques.
This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.