Commonwealth Numbered Acts

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION (ALLIGATOR RIVERS REGION) ACT 1978 No. 28 of 1978 - SECT 14

14. (1) The Minister may appoint a person to act as the Supervising Scientist
during any period, or during all periods, when-

   (a)  the Supervising Scientist is absent from duty or from Australia or is,
        for any other reason, unable to perform the functions of his office;
        or

   (b)  there is a vacancy in the office of Supervising Scientist, whether or
        not an appointment has previously been made to the office.

(2) A person acting as the Supervising Scientist by reason of a vacancy in the
office of Supervising Scientist shall not continue so to act-

   (a)  if an appointment has not previously been made to the office-after the
        expiration of 12 months after the commencement of this Act; or

   (b)  in any other case-after the expiration of 12 months after the
        occurrence of the vacancy.

(3) A person appointed to act as the Supervising Scientist has, while acting
as the Supervising Scientist, all the powers, functions and duties of the
Supervising Scientist, and references in Parts III, IV and V to the
Supervising Scientist shall, if a person is acting as the Supervising
Scientist, be read as a reference to the person so acting.

(4) The Minister may-

   (a)  determine the terms and conditions of appointment of a person
        appointed to act as the Supervising Scientist; and

   (b)  at any time terminate such an appointment.

(5) If a person who holds an appointment to act as the Supervising Scientist
fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with sub-section 9 (2) as it
applies by reason of sub-section (7) of this section or with sub-section 20
(2), the Minister shall terminate his appointment.

(6) A person who holds an appointment to act as the Supervising Scientist may
resign his appointment by writing under his hand delivered to the Minister.

(7) Sub-section 9 (1) applies to and in relation to the appointment of a
person to act as the Supervising Scientist in like manner as it applies to and
in relation to the appointment of a person as the Supervising Scientist and
sub-section 9 (2) applies to and in relation to a person appointed to act as
the Supervising Scientist in like manner as it applies to and in relation to
the Supervising Scientist.

(8) The validity of an act done by a person appointed to act as the
Supervising Scientist shall not be questioned in any proceedings on a ground
arising from the fact that the occasion for the appointment, or for him to act
under the appointment, had not arisen or that the appointment had ceased to
have effect or the occasion for him to act under the appointment had passed.