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Defence Act 1990

Terms and conditions of service in the armed forces - Appointments and enlistments

32: Appointment, promotion, and discharge of officers

You could also call this:

"The Governor-General chooses and manages officers in the Armed Forces."

Illustration for Defence Act 1990

The Governor-General can appoint officers to the Armed Forces. You can think of the Governor-General as a person who makes big decisions for New Zealand. The Governor-General can also give officers a higher rank or release them from their job. The Governor-General can give some of their powers to the Chief of Defence Force. The Chief of Defence Force is a very important person in the Armed Forces. They have to make sure everyone knows about new appointments and other important decisions. The Chief of Defence Force will tell everyone about these decisions through Defence Force Orders. This is like a special way of sharing important information with the Armed Forces. You can read more about how the Governor-General's powers work in section 30(4) to (9).

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM206035.

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Part 4Terms and conditions of service in the armed forces
Appointments and enlistments

32Appointment, promotion, and discharge of officers

  1. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Governor-General may from time to time—

  2. appoint officers to a service of the Armed Forces:
    1. in the name and on behalf of the Sovereign, issue commissions under the Seal of New Zealand to officers of the Armed Forces:
      1. promote officers to a higher rank:
        1. release an officer or discharge an officer or cancel or vary an officer’s commission or vary an officer’s appointment.

          1. The Governor-General may, from time to time, by writing under the Governor-General’s hand, delegate to the Chief of Defence Force any of the Governor-General’s powers specified in paragraphs (a), (c), and (d) of subsection (1); and section 30(4) to (9), with any necessary modifications, applies to the delegation.

          2. The Chief of Defence Force shall cause notice of all appointments, commissions, and other acts done under this section to be promulgated by Defence Force Orders.

          Notes
          • Section 32(1)(d): substituted, on , by section 5(1) of the Defence Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 41).
          • Section 32(1A): inserted, on , by section 5(2) of the Defence Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 41).
          • Section 32(3): amended, on , by section 5(3) of the Defence Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 41).