Commonwealth Numbered Acts

AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION ACT 1979 No. 113 of 1979 - SECT 14

14. (1) The Governor-General may appoint a person to act as Director-General-

   (a)  during a vacancy in the office of Director-General; or

   (b)  during any period, or during all periods, when the Director-General is
        absent from duty or from Australia or is, for any reason, unable to
        perform the functions of his office, but a person appointed to act
        during a vacancy shall not continue so to act for more than 12 months.

(2) Before a recommendation is made to the Governor-General for the
appointment of a person, under sub-section (1), to act as Director-General,
the Prime Minister shall consult with the Leader of the Opposition in the
House of Representatives, unless it is impracticable to do so.

(3) An appointment of a person under sub-section (1) may be expressed to have
effect only in such circumstances as are specified in the instrument of
appointment.

(4) The Governor-General may-

   (a)  determine the terms and conditions of appointment, including
        remuneration and allowances, of a person acting as Director-General;
        and

   (b)  at any time terminate such an appointment.

(5) Where a person is acting as Director-General in accordance with paragraph
(1) (b) and the office of Director-General becomes vacant while that person is
so acting, that person may continue so to act until the Governor-General
otherwise directs, the vacancy is filled or a period of 12 months from the
date on which the vacancy occurred expires, whichever first happens.

(6) The appointment of a person to act as Director-General ceases to have
effect if he resigns his appointment by writing signed by him and delivered to
the Governor-General.

(7) While a person is acting as Director-General, he has, and may exercise,
all the powers and shall perform all the functions of the Director-General.