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Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971

Repeals, amendments, and savings

Schedule 4: Summary punishments that may be imposed by commanding officer, detachment commander, or subordinate commander acting as disciplinary officer under Part 5

You could also call this:

"Punishments for breaking Armed Forces rules"

Illustration for Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971

You can get different punishments if you break the rules in the Armed Forces. The type of punishment you get depends on your rank and what you did. You can be punished by a commanding officer, detachment commander, or subordinate commander. You might get a fine, a reprimand, or extra duty. Some punishments are only for certain ranks, like officers or senior non-commissioned officers. The punishment also depends on whether you were given the right to elect a trial by Court Martial, which is a special court that deals with serious offences, as outlined in ss 117V and 117W. The punishments are listed in a table, which shows what you can get depending on your rank and the circumstances. For example, a senior non-commissioned officer can get a reduction in rank, a fine, or a reprimand. A junior non-commissioned officer can get a reduction in rank, a fine, or extra duty.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM404268.

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Schedule 3: Scale of authorised summary punishments, or

"Punishments for doing something wrong in the Armed Forces"

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Schedule 5: Summary punishments that may be imposed by superior commander acting as disciplinary officer under Part 5, or

"Punishments a senior commander can give to officers"

4Summary punishments that may be imposed by commanding officer, detachment commander, or subordinate commander acting as disciplinary officer under Part 5 Empowered by ss 117V, 117W

The following table is medium in size and has 3 columns. Column 1 is headed Column 1 Rank of offender. Columns 2 and 3 are grouped under the heading Punishments and jurisdictional circumstances. Column 2 is headed Column 2 If offender was given right to elect trial by Court Martial. Column 3 is headed Column 3 If offender was not given right to elect trial by Court Martial.
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Punishments and jurisdictional circumstances
Rank of offender If offender was given right to elect trial by Court Martial If offender was not given right to elect trial by Court Martial

  • An officer or a warrant officer

Stay of seniority for a period not exceeding 12 months
A fine, not exceeding 28 days’ basic pay A fine, not exceeding 7 days’ basic pay
A reprimand A reprimand

  • A senior non-commissioned officer

Reduction in rank (this punishment may be imposed only on a petty officer or a sergeant who, at the time of the disposal of the charge, is on active service or sea service)
Stay of seniority for a period not exceeding 12 months
A fine, not exceeding 28 days’ basic pay A fine, not exceeding 7 days’ basic pay
A reprimand A reprimand
Stoppage of leave, not exceeding 21 days Stoppage of leave, not exceeding 21 days

  • A junior non-commissioned officer

Reduction in rank
A fine, not exceeding 28 days’ basic pay A fine, not exceeding 7 days’ basic pay
A reprimand A reprimand
Stoppage of leave, not exceeding 21 days Stoppage of leave, not exceeding 21 days
Extra duty for a period not exceeding 21 days Extra duty for a period not exceeding 21 days
A caution A caution

  • A rating of able rank, a private, or a leading aviator classification, or a rating, soldier, or aviator of lower rank

Detention for a period not exceeding 60 days (this punishment may be of an offence committed on active service or sea service)
Detention for a period not exceeding 28 days
A fine, not exceeding 28 days’ basic pay A fine, not exceeding 7 days’ basic pay
A reprimand A reprimand
Confinement to ship or barracks for a period not exceeding 21 days Confinement to ship or barracks for a period not exceeding 21 days
Extra work and drill for a period not exceeding 21 days Extra work and drill for a period not exceeding 21 days
Stoppage of leave, not exceeding 21 days Stoppage of leave, not exceeding 21 days
Extra duty for a period not exceeding 21 days Extra duty for a period not exceeding 21 days
A caution A caution

Notes

For the purposes of clause 1, a disciplinary officer is not empowered to impose a punishment on an officer if the disciplinary officer holds a rank of less than 2 rank grades above that of the officer.

For the purposes of clause 2, a senior non-commissioned officer is one who holds the rank of—

  • chief petty officer or petty officer in the Navy; or
    1. staff sergeant or sergeant in the Army; or
      1. flight sergeant aircrew, flight sergeant, sergeant aircrew, or sergeant in the Air Force.

          1. For the purposes of clause 3, a junior non-commissioned officer is one who is—

        1. a rating of leading rank in the Navy; or
          1. a bombardier, corporal, lance bombardier, or lance corporal in the Army; or
            1. a corporal in the Air Force.

                1. For the purposes of this schedule, a person is on sea service if that person is a member of the crew of a ship that is at sea or of a ship whose commanding officer has been ordered to keep the ship at less than 48 hours’ notice for sea.

                Notes
                • Schedule 4 clause 4: amended, on , by section 57 of the Statutes Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 74).