Last year I announced a number of initiatives to enhance the Australian
system of honours and awards.
On this day, the first anniversary of the Thredbo tragedy, I am now
pleased to announce that Her Majesty The Queen has approved amendments
to the Australian Fire Service Medal and the Antarctic Medal.
The amendments expand the Australian Fire Service Medal quota from
one medal for each 25,000 volunteer firefighters to one medal for
each 5,000 volunteers. This revised formulation provides a fairer
basis on which outstanding merit for volunteer staff will be recognised.
This increased recognition will be warmly welcomed by the whole community,
which regularly witnesses the tireless dedication of our volunteer
firefighters. This devotion was witnessed by all Australians last
year in Thredbo and over the summer during the bushfire season.
The amendments to the Antarctic Medal rename the medal the Australian
Antarctic Medal and give recipients of this medal a postnominal entitlement
of "AAM". Like other medals, which recognise outstanding
service, awards of the Antarctic Medal have been given on a strict
basis of outstanding service. However, the lack of a postnominal entitlement
for this medal was an anomaly for a meritorious service award in the
Australian honours system.
The Government is pleased to announce these changes and I warmly congratulate
all past and future recipients of the Australian Antarctic Medal who
are now entitled to use the initials "AAM" after their name.
31 July 1998