Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

ACTS INTERPRETATION ACT 1901 - SECT 33

             (1)  Where an Act confers a power or imposes a duty, then, unless the contrary intention appears, the power may be exercised and the duty shall be performed from time to time as occasion requires.

             (2)  Where an Act confers a power or imposes a duty on the holder of an office as such, then, unless the contrary intention appears, the power may be exercised and the duty shall be performed by the holder for the time being of the office.

       (2AA)  In subsection (2), office includes a position occupied by an APS employee.

          (2A)  Where an Act assented to after the commencement of this subsection provides that a person, court or body may do a particular act or thing, and the word may is used, the act or thing may be done at the discretion of the person, court or body.

          (2B)  Where an Act confers a power or function, or imposes a duty, on a body, whether incorporated or unincorporated, the exercise of the power or the performance of the function or duty is not affected merely because of a vacancy or vacancies in the membership of the body.

             (3)  Where an Act confers a power to make, grant or issue any instrument (including rules, regulations or by‑laws) the power shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as including a power exercisable in the like manner and subject to the like conditions (if any) to repeal, rescind, revoke, amend, or vary any such instrument.

          (3A)  Where an Act confers a power to make, grant or issue any instrument (including rules, regulations or by‑laws) with respect to particular matters (however the matters are described), the power shall be construed as including a power to make, grant or issue such an instrument with respect to some only of those matters or with respect to a particular class or particular classes of those matters and to make different provision with respect to different matters or different classes of matters.

          (3B)  Where an Act confers a power to make, grant or issue any instrument (including rules, regulations or by‑laws), the power shall not be taken, by implication, not to include the power to make provision for or in relation to a particular aspect of a matter by reason only that provision is made by the Act in relation to another aspect of that matter or in relation to another matter.

             (4)  Where an Act confers upon any person or authority a power to make appointments to any office or place, the power shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as including a power to appoint a person to act in the office or place until:

                     (a)  a person is appointed to the office or place; or

                     (b)  the expiration of 12 months after the office or place was created or became vacant, as the case requires:

whichever first happens, and as also including a power to remove or suspend any person appointed, and to appoint another person temporarily in the place of any person so suspended or in place of any sick or absent holder of such office or place:

     Provided that where the power of such person or authority to make any such appointment is only exercisable upon the recommendation or subject to the approval or consent of some other person or authority, such power to make an appointment to act in an office or place or such power of removal shall, unless the contrary intention appears, only be exercisable upon the recommendation or subject to the approval or consent of such other person or authority.

          (4A)  In any Act, appoint includes re‑appoint.

             (5)  Where an Act confers a power to make, grant or issue an instrument (including rules, regulations or by‑laws) prescribing penalties not exceeding a specified amount or imprisonment for a specified period, that limitation on the penalties that may be prescribed does not prevent the instrument from requiring the making of a statutory declaration.