ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1917 - SECT 4

ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1917 - SECT 4

4—Constitution of commission

        (1)         A commission may be constituted of a single commissioner or of two or more commissioners.

        (2)         Where a commission is constituted of two or more commissioners, the commissioners will sit jointly to conduct the inquiry unless the Governor authorises individual commissioners to sit independently to conduct parts or aspects of the inquiry that are, by direction of the Governor or the chairman, to be dealt with independently by individual commissioners.

        (3)         Where a commissioner sits independently of other commissioners to conduct particular parts or aspects of an inquiry, the commissioner will have in relation to those proceedings the same powers as if appointed a sole commissioner.

        (4)         Where a commission is constituted of two or more commissioners, and the commissioners are to sit jointly for the purposes of the inquiry or any part or aspect of the inquiry, then, subject to any contrary direction by the Governor—

            (a)         a quorum of the commission consists of a number of commissioners equal to, or greater than, one-half the total number of commissioners; and

            (b)         the chairman will determine questions of administration and procedure; and

            (c)         any other question will be determined according to the opinion of a majority of the commissioners present at the sitting at which the question is to be determined.