AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY ACT 2005

This compilation was prepared on 20 January 2008
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 178 of 2007

The text of any of those amendments not in force
on that date is appended in the Notes section

The operation of amendments that have been incorporated may be
affected by application provisions that are set out in the Notes section

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney‑General's Department, Canberra

Contents

Part 1--Preliminary 1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement .................................................................................. 1

3............ Definitions .......................................................................................... 2

4............ When does an inquiry, investigation or hearing end? .......................... 4

5............ When is there a vacancy? .................................................................... 5

Part 2--ACMA's establishment, functions, powers and liabilities 6

Division 1--Establishment 6

6............ Establishment ..................................................................................... 6

Division 2--Functions 7

7............ ACMA's functions ............................................................................ 7

8............ ACMA's telecommunications functions ............................................ 7

9............ ACMA's spectrum management functions ........................................ 8

10.......... ACMA's broadcasting, content and datacasting functions ................ 9

11.......... ACMA's additional functions .......................................................... 11

Division 3--Powers and liabilities 13

12.......... ACMA's powers ............................................................................. 13

13.......... ACMA's financial liabilities are Commonwealth liabilities ............. 13

Division 4--Requirements relating to these functions and powers 14

14.......... Minister may give directions to ACMA .......................................... 14

15.......... ACMA not otherwise subject to direction ....................................... 14

16.......... Consistency with CER Trade in Services Protocol .......................... 14

17.......... ACMA to consult ACCC in relation to management of electronic addressing 15

Part 3--ACMA's constitution and membership 16

Division 1--Constitution 16

18.......... ACMA's constitution ...................................................................... 16

Division 2--Membership 17

Subdivision A--Members 17

19.......... Membership ..................................................................................... 17

20.......... Appointment of members ................................................................ 17

21.......... Period of appointment for members ................................................. 17

22.......... Acting Chair ...................................................................................... 18

23.......... Acting appointments--members other than the Chair ..................... 19

Subdivision B--Associate members 20

24.......... Appointment of associate members ................................................. 20

25.......... Period of appointment for associate members ................................. 20

26.......... Acting appointments--associate members ...................................... 21

27.......... Associate members to be treated as members for certain purposes in other Acts 22

Division 3--Terms and conditions for members and associate members 23

28.......... Remuneration .................................................................................... 23

29.......... Standing obligation to disclose interests ........................................... 23

30.......... Obligation to disclose interests before deciding a particular matter . 23

31.......... Outside employment ........................................................................ 24

32.......... Leave of absence ............................................................................... 24

33.......... Resignation ....................................................................................... 25

34.......... Termination of appointment ............................................................ 25

35.......... Other terms and conditions .............................................................. 26

Part 4--Decision‑making and delegation by ACMA 27

Division 1--Meetings 27

36.......... Times and places of meetings ........................................................... 27

37.......... Notice of meetings ............................................................................ 27

38.......... Presiding at meetings ........................................................................ 27

39.......... Quorum ............................................................................................. 28

40.......... Participation etc. by associate members at meetings ........................ 28

41.......... Voting at meetings etc. ...................................................................... 28

42.......... Conduct of meetings ......................................................................... 29

43.......... Minutes ............................................................................................ 29

Division 2--Decisions without meetings 30

44.......... Decisions without meetings .............................................................. 30

45.......... Record of decisions ........................................................................... 30

Division 3--Divisions 31

46.......... Divisions ........................................................................................... 31

47.......... Meetings of a Division ..................................................................... 32

48.......... Division can make decisions without meetings ................................ 33

49.......... Minutes etc. ...................................................................................... 34

Division 4--Delegations 35

50.......... Delegations by ACMA to a Division ............................................... 35

51.......... Delegations by ACMA to others ..................................................... 35

52.......... Delegations by a Division ................................................................. 36

53.......... Limit on powers delegable to persons other than Divisions ............ 36

Part 5--ACMA's staff etc. 38

54.......... Staff .................................................................................................. 38

55.......... Arrangements with authorities of the Commonwealth ..................... 38

Part 6--Corporate planning and reporting by ACMA 39

56.......... Corporate plans ................................................................................ 39

57.......... Annual report ................................................................................... 39

Part 7--Advisory committees and the Consumer Consultative Forum 42

58.......... Advisory committees ....................................................................... 42

59.......... Consumer Consultative Forum ......................................................... 42

Part 7A--Disclosure of information 44

59A....... Disclosure to Ministers .................................................................... 44

59B....... Disclosure to public servants for advising their Ministers ............... 44

59C....... Disclosure to Royal Commissions ................................................... 44

59D....... Disclosure to certain authorities ....................................................... 45

59E........ Disclosure with consent ................................................................... 46

59F........ Disclosure of publicly available information .................................... 46

59G....... Disclosure of summaries and statistics ............................................. 46

59H....... Disclosure authorised by regulations ................................................ 47

59J........ This Part does not limit disclosure by ACMA official .................... 47

59K....... Relationship with Part 13 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 ...... 47

59L........ Delegation of Chair's powers under this Part .................................. 47

Part 8--Other matters 48

60.......... Charges relating to ACMA's expenses ............................................ 48

61.......... Charges are payable to the Commonwealth ..................................... 49

62.......... ACMA's expenses include related Commonwealth expenses ......... 49

63.......... Chair not subject to direction by ACMA on certain matters ........... 49

64.......... Definitions determination ................................................................. 49

65.......... Determinations may define expressions by reference to other instruments 50

66.......... Person not to use protected name or protected symbol ................... 50

67.......... ACMA to maintain Register of policy notifications and Ministerial directions 52

68.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 53

Notes 55

Notes to the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005

Note 1

The Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 44, 2005 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

For all relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005	44, 2005	1 Apr 2005	Ss. 3-68: 1 July 2005 Remainder: Royal Assent
Do Not Call Register (Consequential Amendments) Act 2006	89, 2006	30 June 2006	Schedule 1 (items 42-73): 31 May 2007 (see s. 2(1) and F2007L01114) Remainder: Royal Assent	--
Broadcasting Services Amendment (Collection of Datacasting Transmitter Licence Fees) Act 2006	153. 2006	8 Dec 2006	1 Jan 2007	--
Communications Legislation Amendment (Content Services) Act 2007	124, 2007	20 July 2007	Schedule 1 (items 1-7): 20 Jan 2008	--
Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Act 2007	177, 2007	28 Sept 2007	Schedule 1 (items 13, 68): 1 Nov 2007 (see F2007L03941)	Sch. 1 (item 68)
Communications Legislation Amendment (Information Sharing and Datacasting) Act 2007	178, 2007	28 Sept 2007	Schedule 1 (items 1-4, 6-9): 29 Sept 2007 Schedule 1 (item 5): 20 Jan 2008 (see s. 2(1)) Remainder: Royal Assent	Sch. 1 (item 4)

ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Part 1
S. 3....................................	am. Nos. 124 and 178, 2007
S. 4....................................	am. No. 124, 2007
Part 2
Division 2
S. 8....................................	am. No. 89, 2006; No. 177, 2007
S. 10..................................	am. No. 153, 2006; No. 124, 2007
Part 4
Division 4
S. 53..................................	am. No. 124, 2007
Part 7A
Part 7A...............................	ad. No. 178, 2007
Ss. 59A-59H.....................	ad. No. 178, 2007
Ss. 59J-59L.......................	ad. No. 178, 2007

Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY ACT 2005 - NOTES