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Tri
service policy on warnings and censures released
A
new tri-service guideline for formal warnings and censures has been
released.
DI(G) PERS 35-6 Formal Warnings and Censures is the new guide to
ensure uniform responses across the services.
Formal warnings and censures are forms of adverse administrative
action that can be taken against a member whose behaviour, performance
or standards are unacceptable and are within the member’s powers
to control.
Whilst each Service has had individual policies or customs covering
the administration and imposition of formal warnings and/or censures,
these varied in application and usage. Two separate high level reports
in 1999 recommended adoption of tri-Service policy and application.
These were:
- Military
Justice Procedures in the ADF by the Parliamentary Joint Standing
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade; and
- Report
of Review of Disciplinary and Administrative Policy, Processes
and Practices in Dealing With Cases of Unacceptable Behaviour
in the ADF.
As a consequence, the Defence Personnel Executive (DPE) in consultation
with the three Services and Defence Legal Services has developed
DI(G) PERS 35-6. It provides the overarching policy and associated
procedures for formal warnings and censures in the ADF and takes
precedence over any other (Single Service) instruction that addresses
either of these forms of administrative action.
Of particular importance in the new instruction are the details
on the procedural fairness requirements when processing a formal
warning or censure.
Relevant single Service instructions will be amended in due course
to reflect the existence of the new DI(G).
The sponsor of DI(G) PERS 35-6 is the Director of Personnel Policy
within DPE.
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