Friday, April 17, 2015

Military justice adjustments proposed in Australia

New military justice legislation has been introduced in Australia. Click here for a link to the Defense Legislation (Enhancement of Military Justice) Bill 2015. The website summarizes the measure as follows:
Amends the: 
Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 to clarify the character and status of service convictions for Commonwealth purposes; remove provisions in respect of the trial of offences under the law prior to the Act; create services offences of ‘assault occasioning actual bodily harm’ and ‘unauthorised use of a Commonwealth credit card’; clarify the elements of the service offence of ‘commanding or ordering a service offence to be committed’; replace the power to issue recognisance release orders with a system of fixing non-parole periods; replace dollar amounts as maximum fines with a penalty units system; and make technical amendments;   
Defence Act 1903 and Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 to recognise the office of the Director of Defence Counsel Services; and  
Military Justice (Interim Measures) Act (No. 1) 2009 to extend the appointment, remuneration and entitlement arrangements of the current Chief Judge Advocate and the full-time Judge Advocate.
Thanks for barrister Commander Chris Griggs, RNZN (Ret) for the reference. 

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