Commonwealth Numbered Acts

RURAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH ACT 1985 No. 102, 1985 - SECT 49

49. (1) The Minister may appoint a person to act as Chairperson-

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

   (b)  during any period, or during all periods, when the Chairperson is
        absent from duty or from Australia, or is, for any other reason,
        unable to perform the functions of the office of Chairperson, but a
        person appointed to act during a vacancy shall not continue so to act
        after the expiration of 12 months commencing on the date on which the
        vacancy occurred.

(2) 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.

(3) A person who is a member of the Selection Committee, or a deputy of such a
member, is not eligible to be appointed to act as Chairperson.

(4) The Minister may-

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

   (b)  terminate such an appointment at any time.

(5) Where a person is acting as Chairperson in accordance with paragraph (1)
(b) and the office of Chairperson becomes vacant while that person is so
acting, then, subject to sub-section (2), that person may continue so to act
until the Minister otherwise directs, the vacancy is filled or a period of 12
months commencing on the day on which the vacancy occurred expires, whichever
first happens.

(6) The appointment of a person to act as Chairperson ceases to have effect if
the person resigns his or her appointment by writing signed by the person and
delivered to the Minister.

(7) While a person is acting as Chairperson, the person has, and may exercise,
all the powers, and shall perform all the functions, of the Chairperson under
this Act.

(8) The validity of anything done by, or in relation to, a person purporting
to act under sub-section (1) shall not be called in question on the ground
that the occasion for the person's appointment had not arisen, that there is a
defect or irregularity in or in connection with the person's appointment, that
the appointment had ceased to have effect or that the occasion for the person
to act had not arisen or had ceased.