Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act 1948

A person who is entitled to invalidity benefit and is classified as Class A under subsection 51(2) is entitled to a pension at a rate of such amount per annum as is ascertained by multiplying the amount of $91 by the number that is his category number on the date of his retirement.

A person who is entitled to invalidity benefit, is classified as Class B under subsection 51(2) and was an officer immediately before his retirement is entitled to a pension:

if, immediately before his retirement, he had completed 20 years’ service for pension but had not attained the retiring age for the rank held by him at that time—at the rate at which pension would be payable to an officer of the same category as the category of the person immediately before his retirement who became entitled to a pension under section 38 upon retiring on attaining the retiring age for the rank held by the person immediately before his retirement;

if, immediately before his retirement, he had completed 20 years’ service for pension and had attained the retiring age for the rank held by him at that time—at the rate at which pension would be payable to him under section 38 if he were not entitled to invalidity benefit; or

in any other case—at whichever is the lesser of the following rates:

the rate at which pension would be payable to an officer of the same category as the category of the person immediately before his retirement who became entitled to a pension under section 38 upon retiring on attaining the retiring age for the rank held by the person immediately before his retirement; or

a rate equal to one‑half of the rate at which pension would be payable to him if he were classified as Class A under subsection 51(2).

A person who is entitled to invalidity benefit, is classified as Class B under subsection 51(2) and was not an officer immediately before his retirement is entitled to a pension:

if, immediately before his retirement, he had completed 20 years’ service for pension—at the rate at which pension would be payable to him under section 41 if he were not entitled to invalidity benefit; or

in any other case—at the rate at which pension would be payable to a member of the same category as the category of the person immediately before his retirement who became entitled to a pension under section 41 upon retiring on completing 20 years’ service for pension.

Where a person to whom paragraph (3)(a) applies retired before completing the engagement under which he was serving on the date of his retirement and before attaining the retiring age for the rank held by him, then, for the purpose of determining the rate at which pension is payable to him, his period of service for pension shall be deemed to be the period that would have been his period of service for pension if he had retired upon completing that engagement.

A person who is entitled to invalidity benefit, is classified as Class C under subsection 51(2) and was an officer immediately before his retirement is entitled:

if, immediately before his retirement, he had completed 20 years’ service for pension but had not attained the retiring age for the rank held by him at that time—to a pension at the rate at which pension would be payable to him if, upon retirement, he had become entitled to a pension under section 39 by virtue of paragraph 39(2)(b);

if, immediately before his retirement, he had completed 20 years’ service for pension and had attained the retiring age for the rank held by him at that time—to a pension at the rate at which pension would be payable to him if he were classified as Class B; or

in any other case—in addition to a refund under section 60 of the amount of contributions paid by him under this Act, to a gratuity in accordance with subsections (6) and (7).

Subject to subsection (7), the gratuity to which a person is entitled under paragraph (5)(c) is an amount calculated at the rate of $150 if the person is a male, or $75 if the person is a female, for each year of service for pension completed by the person.

Where the period of service for pension of a person who was an officer immediately before his retirement includes a period served by the person as a member other than an officer, the gratuity to which the person is entitled under paragraph (5)(c) is the sum of:

an amount calculated at the rate of $100 per annum if the person is a male, or $50 per annum if the person is a female, in respect of the period of service for pension completed by the person as a member other than an officer; and

an amount calculated at the rate of $150 per annum if the person is a male, or $75 per annum if the person is a female, in respect of the period that is equal to the difference between:

the period comprising the years of service for pension completed by the person on retirement; and

the period of service for pension completed by the person as a member other than an officer.

A person who is entitled to invalidity benefit, is classified as Class C under subsection 51(2) and was not an officer immediately before his retirement is entitled:

if, immediately before his retirement, he had completed 20 years’ service for pension—to a pension at the rate at which pension would be payable to a member of the same category as the category of the person immediately before his retirement who became entitled to a pension under section 41 upon retiring on completing a period of service for pension equal to the period of service for pension completed by that person; or

in any other case—in addition to a refund under section 60 of the amount of contributions paid by the person under this Act, to a gratuity:

if the person is a male—of an amount calculated at the rate of $100 for each year of service for pension completed by him; or

if the person is a female—of an amount calculated at the rate of $50 for each year of service for pension completed by her.

For the purposes of subsections (6) and (7) and subparagraphs (8)(b)(i) and (ii), service for pension includes service before attaining the age of 20 years under any engagement under which the person has served, but does not include any period of such service under an initial engagement of less than one year.

Where at any time the Authority is satisfied that the value of any invalidity benefit payable to a person who was an officer immediately before his retirement and was retired on or after attaining the retiring age for the rank held by him is less than the value of any benefit to which he would have been entitled under this Act if he had not been entitled to invalidity benefit, the Authority may vary the invalidity benefit to such extent as it thinks proper in the circumstances, but not so as to reduce its value.