Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (STAFF) ACT 1984 - SECT 4

(1)

A Minister may, with the approval of the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Commonwealth, engage, under an agreement in writing, a natural person, body corporate or partnership as a consultant.

(2)

An agreement for the engagement by a Minister of a consultant under subsection (1) shall contain one or more of the following provisions:

(a)

a provision to the effect that the consultant is engaged to perform, under the supervision of the Minister, such tasks as are specified in the agreement;

(b)

a provision to the effect that the consultant is engaged to perform, under the supervision of the Minister, such tasks as are from time to time specified by the Minister;

(c)

a provision to the effect that the consultant is engaged to perform, under the supervision of the relevant Secretary, such tasks as are specified in the agreement;

(d)

a provision to the effect that the consultant is engaged to perform, under the supervision of the relevant Secretary, such tasks as are from time to time specified by the Secretary with the Minister's consent.

(3)

Subject to subsection (4), a Minister who engages a consultant under subsection (1) may determine which of the provisions referred to in subsection

(2)

is or are to be included in the agreement under which the consultant is engaged.

(4)

In an agreement for the engagement by a Minister of a consultant under this Part, a task shall not be specified by the Minister, for the purposes of a provision of the kind referred to in paragraph (2)(c), without the agreement of the relevant Secretary.