Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

DEFENCE FORCE DISCIPLINE APPEALS ACT 1955 - NOTES

No. 16, 1955

Compilation No. 22

Compilation date: 13 December 2022

Includes amendments up to: Act No. 133, 2021

Registered: 20 December 2022

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Defence Force Discipline Appeals Act 1955 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 13 December 2022 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Legislation Register (www.legislation.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the series page on the Legislation Register for the compiled law.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the series page on the Legislation Register for the compiled law.

Self-repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

Contents

Part I--Preliminary

1 Short title

2 Commencement

4 Interpretation

5 Extension of Act to Territories

5A Application of the Criminal Code

Part II--Defence Force Discipline Appeal Tribunal

6 Defence Force Discipline Appeal Tribunal

7 Constitution of Tribunal

8 Qualification of members

8A Appointment of Judge as member of Tribunal not to affect tenure etc.

8B Arrangement for appointment of the holder of a judicial office of a State or the Northern Territory

9 Oath or affirmation of allegiance

10 Remuneration and allowances of members and deputies

11 Removal and suspension of members from office

12 Leave of absence and resignation

14 Sittings of the Tribunal

15 Exercise of powers of Tribunal

15A Reserved decision

16 Member ceasing to sit on an appeal

17 Single member may determine certain matters

18 Sittings of Tribunal to be in public

19 The Registrar

Part III--Appeals to the Tribunal

Division 1--Bringing of appeals

20 Appeals to Tribunal

21 Time for lodging appeals etc.

22 Frivolous or vexatious appeals

Division 2--Determination of appeals

23 Quashing of conviction etc.

24 New trial

25 Custody of person pending new trial

26 Substitution of conviction for alternative offence

Division 3--Incidental powers of Tribunal

31 Supplementary powers

32 Arrest of witness for failing to appear

33 Power to examine upon oath

34 Payment of witnesses, special commissioners etc.

35 Warrants

36 Tribunal may obtain reports to assist in determination of appeals

37 Costs

38 Restitution orders, reparation orders and removal orders

Division 4--Miscellaneous

39 Representation of appellants and hearing of appeals

40 Protection and immunity of members of Tribunal and of certain other persons

41 Person deemed to have been acquitted

42 Defence of appeals

Part IV--Offences in relation to Tribunal

43 Failure to attend or produce documents

44 Duty of witness to continue in attendance

45 Refusal to be sworn or give evidence

46 Offences against the Tribunal

47 Orders under section 18

48 Offences punishable by courts of summary jurisdiction

50 Contempt of the Tribunal

Part V--References and appeals from the Tribunal to the Federal Court of Australia

51 Reference of questions of law to Federal Court of Australia

52 Appeal to Federal Court of Australia from decisions of the Tribunal

53 Custody orders and sending of documents to the Federal Court of Australia

54 Record of proceedings of Tribunal to be kept

Part VI--Miscellaneous

58 Effect of this Act on Royal prerogative of mercy

60 Regulations

The Schedule

Endnotes

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history

Endnotes

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history

Abbreviation key--Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history--Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section  15V of the Legislation Act 2003.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and "(md not incorp)" is added to the amendment history.

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

 

ad = added or inserted	o = order(s)
am = amended	Ord = Ordinance
amdt = amendment	orig = original
c = clause(s)	par = paragraph(s)/subparagraph(s)
C[x] = Compilation No. x	/sub-subparagraph(s)
Ch = Chapter(s)	pres = present
def = definition(s)	prev = previous
Dict = Dictionary	(prev ... ) = previously
disallowed = disallowed by Parliament	Pt = Part(s)
Div = Division(s)	r = regulation(s)/rule(s)
ed = editorial change	reloc = relocated
exp = expires/expired or ceases/ceased to have	renum = renumbered
effect	rep = repealed
F = Federal Register of Legislation	rs = repealed and substituted
gaz = gazette	s = section(s)/subsection(s)
LA = Legislation Act 2003	Sch = Schedule(s)
LIA = Legislative Instruments Act 2003	Sdiv = Subdivision(s)
(md) = misdescribed amendment can be given	SLI = Select Legislative Instrument
effect	SR = Statutory Rules
(md not incorp) = misdescribed amendment	Sub-Ch = Sub-Chapter(s)
cannot be given effect	SubPt = Subpart(s)
mod = modified/modification	underlining = whole or part not
No. = Number(s)	commenced or to be commenced

Endnote 3--Legislation history

 

Act	Number and year		Assent	Commencement	Application, saving and transitional provisions
Courts-Martial Appeals Act 1955	16, 1955		8 June 1955	1 June 1957 (see Gazette 1957, p. 1501)
Statute Law Revision (Decimal Currency) Act 1966	93, 1966		29 Oct 1966	1 Dec 1966	--
Statute Law Revision Act 1973	216, 1973		19 Dec 1973	31 Dec 1973	ss. 9(1) and 10
Defence Force Re-organization Act 1975	96, 1975		9 Sept 1975	s 111-121 and Sch 6: 9 Feb 1976 (s 2 and gaz 1975, No G42, p 2)	s 118(2) and 119(2)
Administrative Changes (Consequential Provisions) Act 1978	36, 1978		12 June 1978	12 June 1978	--
Jurisdiction of Courts (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1979	19, 1979		28 Mar 1979	Parts II-XVII (ss. 3-123): 15 May 1979 (see Gazette 1979, No. S86) Remainder: Royal Assent	s. 124
Australian Federal Police (Consequential Amendments) Act 1979	155, 1979		28 Nov 1979	19 Oct 1979 (see s. 2(1) and Gazette 1979, No. S206)	s. 2(2)
Australian Federal Police (Consequential Amendments) Act 1980	70, 1980		28 May 1980	28 May 1980	--
Statute Law Revision Act 1981	61, 1981		12 June 1981	s 25: 19 Oct 1979 (s 2(5))	--
Defence Force (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982	153, 1982		31 Dec 1982	3 July 1985 (see s. 2 and Gazette 1985, No. S255)	ss. 17(2), 22(2), (3), 35 and 36
Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1985	65, 1985		5 June 1985	Sch 1 (amdt to Pt II Heading and s 13 Defence Force Discipline Appeals Act 1955): 3 July 1985 (s 2(17))	--
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1992	23, 1992		6 May 1992	6 May 1992	--
Statute Law Revision Act 1996	43, 1996		25 Oct 1996	Sch 4 (item 65): 25 Oct 1996 (s 2(1))	--
Defence Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 1997	1, 1997		19 Feb 1997	Sch 1 and 3: 30 Apr 1997 (see Gazette 1997, No. S91) Remainder: Royal Assent	--
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999	146, 1999		11 Nov 1999	Sch 1 (item 369): 5 Dec 1999 (s 2(1), (2))	--
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001	24, 2001		6 Apr 2001	s 4(1), (2) and Sch 23: 24 May 2001 (s 2(1)(a))	s 4(1) and (2)
Defence Legislation Amendment Act 2006	159, 2006		11 Dec 2006	Sch 1 (items 20-31, 203-252, 255-262): 1 Oct 2007 (s 2(1) item 2) Sch 3 (items 1-24): 11 Dec 2006 (s 2(1) item 3)	Sch 1 (items 255-262)
as amended by
Statute Law Revision Act 2008	73, 2008		3 July 2008	Sch 2 (item 5): 1 Oct 2017 (s 2(1) item 48)	--
Defence Legislation Amendment Act 2008	6, 2008		20 Mar 2008	Sch 2 (items 21-26): 20 Sept 2008 (s 2(1) item 2) Sch 7 (items 5-14) and Sch 8 (items 1, 2, 4, 8): 20 Mar 2008 (s 2(1) items 3, 13) Sch 7 (item 45): 1 Oct 2007 (s 2(1) item 12)	Sch 8 (items 1, 2, 4, 8)
Statute Law Revision Act 2008	73, 2008		3 July 2008	Schedule 4 (item 247): 4 July 2008	--
Military Justice (Interim Measures) Act (No. 1) 2009	91, 2009		22 Sept 2009	Sch 1 (items 182-248) and Sch 2-4: 22 Sept 2009 (s 2)	Sch 2-4
as amended by
Military Justice (Interim Measures) Amendment Act 2011	82, 2011		25 July 2011	25 July 2011 (s 2)	--
Military Justice (Interim Measures) Amendment Act 2013	130, 2013		1 July 2013	Sch 1 (items 3, 7, 8): 22 Sept 2009 (s 2(1) items 3, 5) Remainder: 1 July 2013 (s 2(1) items 1, 2, 4, 6)	--
Defence Legislation (Enhancement of Military Justice) Act 2015	106, 2015		30 June 2015	Sch 3: 1 July 2015 (s 2)	--
Statute Law Revision Act 2011	5, 2011		22 Mar 2011	Sch 5 (items 92, 93): 19 Apr 2011	--
Statute Law Revision Act (No. 1) 2014	31, 2014		27 May 2014	Sch 1 (item 21): 24 June 2014	--
Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2014	62, 2014		30 June 2014	Sch 8 (item 101) and Sch 14: 1 July 2014 (s 2(1) items 6, 14)	Sch 14
-as amended by
Public Governance and Resources Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 2015	36, 2015	13 Apr 2015		Sch 2 (items 7-9) and Sch 7: 14 Apr 2015 (s 2)	Sch 7
as amended by
Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) (Consequential Provisions) Act 2015	126, 2015	10 Sept 2015		Sch 1 (item 486): 5 Mar 2016 (s 2(1) item 2)	--
Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) (Consequential Provisions) Act 2015	126, 2015	10 Sept 2015		Sch 1 (item 495): 5 Mar 2016 (s 2(1) item 2)	--
Statute Law Revision Act (No. 1) 2016	4, 2016		11 Feb 2016	Sch 4 (item 365): 10 Mar 2016 (s 2(1) item 6)	--
Statute Update Act 2016	61, 2016		23 Sept 2016	Sch 1 (items 214-216): 21 Oct 2016 (s 2(1) item 1)	--
Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017	129, 2017		8 Dec 2017	Sch 3 (items 4, 5) and Sch 4: 9 Dec 2017 (s 2(1) item 7)	Sch 3 (item 5) and Sch 4
as amended by
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2021	13, 2021		1 Mar 2021	Sch 2 (item 540): 1 Sept 2021 (s 2(1) item 5)	--
Defence Legislation Amendment (Discipline Reform) Act 2021	133, 2021		13 Dec 2021	Sch 3 (items 11, 12): 13 Dec 2022 (s 2(1) item 2)	--

Endnote 4--Amendment history

 

Provision affected	How affected
Title....................	am. No. 153, 1982; No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
Part I
s. 1.....................	am. No. 153, 1982
s. 3.....................	rep. No. 216, 1973
s. 4.....................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 96, 1975; No. 153, 1982; No. 159, 2006; No.  6, 2008; No. 91, 2009; No. 5, 2011; No 31 and 62, 2014
s. 5.....................	am. No. 216, 1973
s. 5A....................	ad. No. 24, 2001
Part II
Part II heading.............	rs No 65, 1985
s. 6.....................	am. No. 153, 1982
s. 7.....................	am. No. 153, 1982; No. 159, 2006
s. 8.....................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 153, 1982; No. 159, 2006
s. 8A....................	ad. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 159, 2006
s. 8B....................	ad. No. 153, 1982
s. 9.....................	am. No. 96, 1975; No. 153, 1982; No. 159, 2006
s. 10....................	rs. No. 96, 1975
	am. No. 43, 1996
s. 12....................	am. No. 23, 1992; No. 159, 2006
s. 13....................	am. No. 216, 1973
	rs. No. 96, 1975
	rep. No. 65, 1985
s. 14....................	am. No. 159, 2006
s. 15....................	am. No. 159, 2006; No. 6, 2008; No. 91, 2009
s. 15A...................	ad. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 159, 2006
s. 16....................	rs. No. 6, 2008; No. 91, 2009
s. 17....................	am. No. 96, 1975; No. 153, 1982; No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
s. 18....................	am. No. 96, 1975; No. 159, 2006
s. 19....................	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 146, 1999
Part III
Part III heading.............	rs No 6, 2008; No 91, 2009
Division 1A...............	ad No 6, 2008
	rep No 91, 2009
s. 19A...................	ad. No. 6, 2008
	rep. No. 91, 2009
Division 1
Division 1................	rs No 153, 1982
s. 20....................	am. No. 96, 1975
	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
s. 21....................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 96, 1975
	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
s. 22....................	rs. No. 153, 1982; No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
Division 2
Division 2................	rs No 153, 1982
s. 23....................	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
ss. 24, 25.................	rs. No. 153, 1982
s. 26....................	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 159, 2006; No. 6, 2008; No. 91, 2009
s. 27....................	rep. No. 153, 1982
	ad. No. 159, 2006
	rep. No. 91, 2009
ss. 28-30.................	rep. No. 153, 1982
Division 3
s 31....................	am No 153, 1982; No 159, 2006; No 6, 2008; No 91, 2009; No 129, 2017
s. 32....................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 70, 1980; No. 61, 1981; No. 159, 2006
s. 33....................	am. No. 96, 1975
s. 34....................	am. No. 96, 1975; No. 36, 1978; No. 5, 2011
s. 35....................	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
Heading to s. 36............	am. No. 6, 2008
	rs. No. 91, 2009
s 36....................	rs No. 153, 1982
	am No. 159, 2006 (as am. by No 73, 2008); No 6, 2008
	rs No. 91, 2009
s. 37....................	am. No. 96, 1975; No. 36, 1978; No. 153, 1982; No. 159, 2006; No.  91, 2009; No. 5, 2011
s 38....................	am No 96, 1975
	rs No 153, 1982
	am No 133, 2021
Division 4
Heading to s. 39............	am. No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
s. 39....................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
s. 40....................	am. No. 96, 1975; No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
s. 41....................	rs. No. 153, 1982
Heading to s. 42............	am. No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
s. 42....................	am. No. 96, 1975
	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 1, 1997; No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
Part IV
s 43....................	am No 93, 1966; No 153, 1982; No 24, 2001; No 159, 2006; No 61, 2016
s 44....................	am No 93, 1966; No 153, 1982; No 24, 2001; No 73, 2008; No 61, 2016
s 45....................	am No 93, 1966; No 153, 1982; No 24, 2001; No 159, 2006; No 61, 2016
s 46....................	am No 93, 1966; No 153, 1982; No 24, 2001; No 61, 2016
s 47....................	am No 93, 1966; No 96, 1975; No 153, 1982; No 61, 2016
s. 48....................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 96, 1975
s. 49....................	am. No. 96, 1975
	rep. No. 153, 1982
s. 50....................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 96, 1975; No. 19, 1979; No 4, 2016
Part V
Part V heading.............	am No 19, 1979
Part V...................	rs. No. 153, 1982
s. 51....................	am. No. 96, 1975; No. 19, 1979
	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 1, 1997; No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
s. 52....................	am. No. 19, 1979
	rs. No. 153, 1982
	am. No. 1, 1997; No. 159, 2006; No. 91, 2009
ss. 53, 54.................	am. No. 19, 1979
	rs. No. 153, 1982
s. 55....................	am. No. 19, 1979
	rep. No. 153, 1982
s. 56....................	am. No. 96, 1975; No. 19, 1979
	rep. No. 153, 1982
s. 57....................	rep. No. 153, 1982
Part VI
s. 58....................	am. No. 153, 1982
s. 59....................	rep. No. 96, 1975
s 60....................	am No 93, 1966; No 216, 1973; No 96, 1975; No 153, 1982; No 159, 2006; No  6, 2008; No 91, 2009; No 61, 2016
The Schedule
The Schedule..............	am. No. 153, 1982