These regulations are the New Zealand General Service Medal (Counter-piracy) Regulations 2015.

These regulations come into force on the 28th day after the date of their notification in the Gazette.

(1) The medal known as the New Zealand General Service Medal (Counter-piracy) (the medal) may be awarded.

(2) The award of the medal is subject to the Royal Warrant and these regulations.

The ribbon for the medal is 32 mm in width, of blue, with a narrow central white stripe, and edged with narrow red and wide yellow stripes.

In these regulations, operational area means all the area enclosed by a straight line—

• (a) commencing at a point at 30°00′N 75°00′E; then

• (b) proceeding to a point at 30°00′N 32°00′E; then

• (c) proceeding to a point at 15°00′S 32°00′E; then

• (d) proceeding to a point at 15°00′S 75°00′E; then

• (e) proceeding to the point of commencement.

A person is eligible for the medal if he or she—

• (a) served in the operational area on or after 1 January 2009 as a member of, or in connection with, a New Zealand Government contribution to an international force undertaking counter-piracy operations; and

• (b) was, at that time,—

  • (i) a member of the Defence Force (within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Defence Act 1990); or

  • (ii) a Police employee (within the meaning of section 4 of the Policing Act 2008); or

  • (iii) an employee or contractor of a department (within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Public Finance Act 1989) who is—

    • (A) a New Zealand citizen (within the meaning of section 4 of the Immigration Act 2009); or

    • (B) a permanent resident of New Zealand (within the meaning of section 73 of the Electoral Act 1993); or

  • (iv) any other person who the Minister of Defence, on the advice of the Chief of Defence Force, determines is eligible for the medal.

(1) An eligible person qualifies for the award of the medal if he or she—

• (a) was engaged in service as described in regulation 6(a) for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated; or

• (b) was engaged in service as described in regulation 6(a) for less than 30 days, but—

  • (i) the service was terminated by death or evacuation owing to wounds or disability caused by that service; or

  • (ii) the person has been given a New Zealand Royal Honour for gallantry or bravery for acts while engaged in that service; or

  • (iii) an operational order, a fragmentary order, or an operational instruction stated that the person was to serve for 30 days or more in service as described in regulation 6(a), but the person had his or her period of service terminated after less than 30 days at the direction of the New Zealand Government department or agency that deployed the person, and the termination was for official reasons rather than for personal, compassionate, or disciplinary reasons; or

• (c) completed 7 sorties or more, on or after 1 January 2009, into the operational area as aircrew, supernumerary aircrew, or supernumerary crew, while a member of a unit allocated for direct support of a New Zealand Government contribution to an international force undertaking counter-piracy operations.

(2) To avoid doubt, time spent on official visits in connection with the service described in regulation 6(a) counts towards time engaged in service for the purpose of subclause (1).

(3) Service that qualifies an eligible person for the medal is not qualifying service for any other New Zealand General Service Medal.

(4) Service that qualifies an eligible person for any other New Zealand General Service Medal is not qualifying service for the medal.

The Chief of Defence Force, or a member of the New Zealand Defence Force authorised by the Chief of Defence Force, may—

• (a) award the medal to any eligible person who qualifies for the award of the medal; and

• (b) cancel an award of the medal and alter the register maintained under the Royal Warrant accordingly.

(1) The Chief of Defence Force may—

• (a) order the forfeiture of a medal awarded to a person; and

• (b) order the restoration of a medal to a person whose medal was forfeited.

(2) If a medal is forfeited or restored, the register maintained under the Royal Warrant must be altered accordingly.