Commonwealth Numbered Acts

AUSTRALIAN LAW REFORM COMMISSION ACT 1996 No. 37, 1996 - SECT 13

(1) The Attorney-General may appoint a full-time member (other than the Deputy
President) to act as President:

   (a)  during a vacancy in the office of President, whether or not an
        appointment has previously been made to the office; or

   (b)  during any period, or during all periods, when the President is absent
        from duty or from Australia or is, for any other reason, unable to
        perform the functions of the office.

(2) The Attorney-General may appoint a full-time member (other than the
President) to act as Deputy President:

   (a)  during a vacancy in the office of Deputy President, whether or not an
        appointment has previously been made to the office; or

   (b)  during any period, or during all periods, when the Deputy President is
        absent from duty or from Australia or is, for any other reason, unable
        to perform the functions of the office.

(3) A person appointed under this section may only act as the President during
a period if:

   (a)  there is a vacancy in the office of Deputy President during that
        period; or

   (b)  the Deputy President is, for any reason, unable to act in the office
        of President during that period.

(4) Anything done by a person purporting to act under an appointment under
this section is not invalid merely because:

   (a)  the occasion for the appointment had not arisen; or

   (b)  there was a defect or irregularity in or in connection with the
        appointment; or

   (c)  the appointment had stopped having effect; or

   (d)  the occasion for the person to act had not arisen or had stopped.