Legislative Assembly (Members' Staff) Act 1989

An office-holder may, on behalf of the Territory, engage, under an agreement in writing, a consultant or contractor for the provision of services necessarily incidental to the performance of his or her ministerial or parliamentary duties.

However, an office-holder must not engage a consultant or contractor who—

if the consultant or contractor is an individual—is a family member of the office-holder; or

if the consultant or contractor is a corporation—has a director or other officer who is a family member of the office-holder.

An agreement under subsection (1) shall be taken to be a contract for services.

The power conferred on an office-holder by subsection (1) is not exercisable otherwise than in accordance with arrangements approved by the Chief Minister, and the exercise of that power is subject to such conditions as are determined by the Chief Minister.

An approval or determination under subsection (4) is a disallowable instrument.