Established : 16 April 1999.
For award to members of recognised Australian groups that render service of a humanitarian nature, in hazardous circumstances such as war zones in peacekeeping operations or in times of civil strife. Australian groups may be part of, or under, the direction of the United Nations, some other international organisation or an Australian or International non-goverment organisation.
Design :
The medal design was inspired by indinenous motifs and was designed by Mr John Moriarty AM, of Balarinji Design of Sydney. This medal was the first to be accepted into the Australian Honours system to use indigenous symbols in its design. The central symbol is the eucalyptus tree, spreading its branches out from Australia at the base of the medal to the world which is symbolised by a circle which encloses the tree. Around the tree is a circle of gum nuts, symbolising life after disaster, as humanitarian service assists recovery and restores life.
The ribbon colours are metallic green and gold. Gold symbolises the Australian sun, hope and optimism. The green continues the regeneration symbolism.
There are no post nominals for this award.
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
No. S 86, Monday, 30 May 2005
ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:
TO ALL to whom these Presents shall come,
GREETING:
WHEREAS there has been instituted an Australian medal for the purpose of according recognition to persons who have given humanitarian service in hazardous circumstances outside Australia;
AND it is desirable that eligibility for the medal be extended to accord recognition to persons who have given, or give, humanitarian service as part of the relief efforts following the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004 and certain other natural disasters;
KNOW YOU that We do, by these Presents, extend the eligibility criteria for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal to include those persons;
AND WE DO ordain that the award of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal to persons involved in those relief efforts is governed by the Regulations set out in the Schedule.
IN WITNESS whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.
GIVEN under the Great Seal of Australia at Our Court at St James's on 8 April 2005
By Her Majesty's Command,
[signed John Howard]
Prime Minister
Schedule
Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and Other Natural Disasters Relief) Regulations 2005
Part 1 Preliminary
1
Name of Regulations
These Regulations are the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal (2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and Other Natural Disasters Relief) Regulations 2005.
2Interpretation
(1) In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:
eligible organisation means an organisation specified in a Determination under subregulation 3 (2) or a declaration under subregulation 3 (3).
eligible service means service of the kind mentioned in regulation 4.
relevant operation has the meaning given by regulation
(2) Unless the contrary intention appears, terms used in these Regulations and in the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal Regulations have the same meaning in these Regulations as they have in those Regulations.
Part 2 Award of medal
3Relevant operations
(1) For these Regulations, the relevant operations are:
(a) operations that:
(i) occurred as part of the emergency relief efforts following the tsunami that struck
countries bordering the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004 and the related
earthquake that struck Nias Island in Indonesia on 30 March 2005; and
(ii) had the purpose of minimising the distress suffered by people affected by the
tsunami and sustaining their life and dignity; and
(iii) were conducted by eligible organisations; and
(iv) took place within:
(A) the period beginning on 26 December 2004 and ending on 12 February 2005; or
(B) the period immediately following 30 March 2005; and
(v) took place in 1 or more of the following areas:
(E) Nias Island, Indonesia; and
(b) operations that are declared, under subregulation (3), to be relevant operations.
(2) For subparagraph (1) (a) (iii), the Governor-General may, on the recommendation of the Minister, determine that an organisation is an eligible organisation for the purposes of subregulation (1).
(3) The Governor-General may, on the recommendation of the Minister, declare, in writing, an operation to be a relevant operation if it had the purpose of minimising the distress suffered by people affected by a natural disaster and sustaining their life and dignity.
(4) A declaration under subregulation (3) must specify the following in relation to the relevant operation:
(a) the name by which the operation is to be known for the purpose of these Regulations;
(b) the geographical extent of the affected area;
(c) the dates during which the operation occurred or, if the operation is continuing, the date
when the operation commenced;
(d) the organisation, or organisations, that are eligible organisations for the relevant
operation;
(e) the period within which each such organisation participated in the operation or, if the
participation is continuing, the date when the participation commenced; the qualifying
period of service required to be given by a member of an organisation to be eligible for an
award of the Medal; whether inspection visits may be counted as humanitarian service,
and any special conditions attaching to calculation of that service.
(f)
(g)
4Eligible service
(1) A person is taken to have given eligible service if the person gave humanitarian service as a member of an eligible organisation in the course of relevant operations for a period or periods amounting to:
(a) at least 7 days in the period beginning on 26 December 2004 and ending on 8 January
2005; or
(b) at least 14 days in the period beginning on 26 December 2004 and ending on 12
February 2005; or
(c) at least 7 days in the period immediately after the Nias Island earthquake on 30 March
2005; or
(d) in relation to an operation that is declared, under subregulation 3 (3), to be a relevant
operation - the qualifying period specified in that declaration.
(2) Service may be eligible service whether the service was paid or unpaid.
(3) In making a recommendation under subregulation 5 (1), the Secretary may treat as eligible service a period of service by a person that is shorter than the qualifying period:
(a) if:
(i) the person's service was terminated, because of death, disability or illness of the
person due to that service, before the qualifying period was completed; and in the
opinion of the Secretary, the person would have completed the qualifying period, but
for the termination; or if the Secretary considers that, taking into account the
operational requirements of the eligible organisation as a member of which the person
gave the service, it is appropriate to treat the service as eligible service.
(ii)
(b)
5Award of Medal
(1) The Governor-General may, on the recommendation of the Secretary, award to a person who has given eligible service the Medal and a clasp denoting the relevant operations.
(2) If
(a) a person has been awarded the Medal and a clasp for eligible service during a declared
operation under the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal Regulations, and the person
gives eligible service during a relevant operation under these Regulations; or
(b) a person has been awarded the Medal and a clasp for eligible service during a particular
relevant operation, and the person gives eligible service during a different relevant operation;
the person may be awarded the Medal in the form of a further clasp to the Medal.
(3) The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
6Cancellation of award
7Reinstatement of award
8Design of the Medal or clasp
The design of the Medal, or of a clasp, is the design determined by the Governor-General.
Wearing of the Medal or clasp
The manner in which, and occasions on which, the Medal, or a clasp, may be worn are as determined by the Governor-General.
