Victoria Cross for Australia: Difference between revisions

Awards are granted by the [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor-General]] with the approval of the [[Monarchy in Australia|Sovereign]]. The warrant for the Victoria Cross for Australia differs markedly from the Imperial warrant. The new warrant does not specify any particular process for recommendations, though it is expected that any recommendation will pass through the [[Australian Defence Force#Current structure|military hierarchy]] to the [[Minister for Defence (Australia)|Minister for Defence]].<ref name=OzVcpdf/><ref>Macklin, Robert, p. 252</ref> The new warrant also allows for "other persons determined by the Minister [for Defence] for the purposes of this regulation." Author [[Robert Macklin]] has speculated that this has opened up the field of eligibility to policemen and women or civilians during a terrorist act. He goes on to say that by "separating the VC from its traditional roots the Hawke government can be accused, with some justice, of devaluing the honour&nbsp;..."<ref>Macklin, Robert, p. 253</ref> Subsequent awards of the Victoria Cross for Australia to the same individual shall be made in the form of a [[Medal bar|bar]] to the Cross.<ref>Victoria Cross Regulations, ''Commonwealth Gazette'' No. S25, 4 February 1991, p. 2, Regulation 6.</ref> Where a person has been awarded a second or three or more awards, the post nominals "VC and Bar" or "VC and Bars" may be used.<ref name=CGazetteS25p2R8/>

 

 

The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the [[Australian Honours Order of Precedence]]. As such, it takes precedence over all other [[Commonwealth Realms orders and decorations#Australia|Australian orders and decorations]], except the Imperial [[Victoria Cross]], with which it shares equal precedence. This postnominal is valid only for the recipient and is not transferred to the recipient's heirs.<ref>Ashcroft, Michael, Introduction</ref> "Tradition holds that even the most senior officer will salute a Victoria Cross recipient as a mark of the utmost respect for their act of valour."<ref name="Houston salutes"/> Whilst it has been a tradition for many years to salute a Victoria Cross recipient the Australian Army Ceremonial Manual, Volume 1, Annex B to Chapter 13 states "Victoria Cross winners, unless they are serving commissioned officers in the armed forces, are not saluted". [[Air Chief Marshal (Australia)|Air Chief Marshal]] [[Angus Houston]] saluted Trooper [[Mark Donaldson]] after he received his VC.<ref name="Houston salutes">{{cite news|url=http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/im-no-hero-says-aussie-soldier-with-vc-20090116-7imy.html |title=I'm no hero says Aussie soldier with VC |work=[[The Age]] |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=16 January 2009|access-date=16 January 2009}}</ref><ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=8677 The Chief of the Defence Force salutes Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC], Defence Media Release MSPA19/09, 16 January 2009.</ref> Under Section 103, Subsection (4), of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, the Australian Government pays a Victoria Cross Allowance to any service person awarded the medal.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/vea1986261/ |title=Veteran's Entitlement Act 1986 |publisher= Australasian Legal Information Institute |access-date=16 June 2007}}</ref> The act set this amount at [[Australian dollar|A$]]3,230 per year. Since 20 September 2005, this amount has been indexed annually in line with Australian Consumer Price Index increases.<ref>'''Australian Veteran's Entitlement Act 1986, section 103, ''' ''(4) Victoria Cross allowance granted to a veteran under this section is payable at the rate of $3,230 per year. Note: The amount fixed by this subsection is indexed annually in line with CPI increases. See section 198FA.'', {{cite web | url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/vea1986261/s198fa.html |title=Veteran's Entitlement Act 1986, section 198a |publisher=Australasian Legal Information Institute |access-date=30 June 2007}}</ref> This amount is in addition to any amount that the veteran may be awarded under the general decoration allowance of $2.10 per fortnight.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/vea1986261/s102.html |title=Veteran's Entitlement Act 1986, Section 102 |publisher= Australasian Legal Information Institute |access-date=31 October 2007}}</ref>