A Milton businessman wants the law changed to have people wearing civilian medals they are not untitled to punished.
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Grant Schultz is urging federal politicians to put forward legislative amendments to have people wearing medals or awards they are not entitled to punished.
Currently, awards such as OAMs, bravery awards and police service awards have no protection and people who wear them without being entitled are not prosecuted.
This is unlike Military Medals, which are protected under the Defence Act and people wearing them without consent are fined and/or sentenced to a jail term of up to six months.
“We are calling for a legislative amendment for the wearing of medals to which people are not entitled to be an offence,” Mr Schultz said.
“I don’t mean when family members wear it on the right hand side, that would be excluded.
“I am looking at something similar to the Defence Act, where a person claiming to be recipient of a medal when they are not, face 30 penalty units and six months in jail.”
Mr Schultz, who holds several policing medals, said they were freely available for purchase online.
“People not entitled to these medals can buy them online and wear them,” he said.
“Medals like the Cross of Valor, Australia’s highest civilian award of bravery, have no protection.”
Police Federation of Australia chief executive Mark Burgess said protecting such awards was not as straight forward as defence medals.
Because each state and territory has different Police Acts, Mr Burgess said it would be difficult to have legislation changed in each jurisdiction, but said other avenues should be explored.
“If such legislation was to go ahead, it is about where you would put it,” he said.
“The challenge is the different police acts across Australia. For example, the AFP Act doesn’t cover other states and territories.”
Mr Burgess agreed it would be great to have a system to “identify, expose and deal” with people who wear medals they are not entitled to.
“No one wants to see people masquerading with medals that haven’t been awarded to them,” he said.
As well as medals awarded under the Queen’s Honour List, Mr Burgess said each state and agency also had unique medals.
The catalyst for Mr Schultz to call on the change was news that WA Labor MP Barry Urban wore a peacekeeping medal he was not entitled to.
“Everyone I speak to about it is surprised there is no protection,” he said.
“People do, from time to time, claim to be recipients of awards they have not been given.
“The good work of people who have serviced their communities and those that have undertaken acts of great bravery are being undermined by these people who pretend to hold such awards.”
He called on federal politicians from across the nation to bring the issue forward as soon as possible.
“I think about 1000 people each year are awarded civilian medals for their service to the community, Australia and for acts of bravery,” Mr Schultz said.
“I wouldn’t anticipate a lot of opposition to it and would imagine it would pass through parliament reasonably quickly.”
Gilmore Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis has been approached for comment. Eden-Monaro Labor MP Mike Kelly declined to comment.