Petroleum and Minerals Authority Act 1973

Where the Chairman or the Executive Member is, or is expected to be, absent from duty or from Australia or there is a vacancy in the office of Chairman or Executive Member, the Minister may appoint a person to be acting Chairman or acting Executive Member, as the case requires, during the absence or until the filling of the vacancy.

An acting Chairman or an acting Executive Member appointed in the event of the office of Chairman or Executive Member, as the case may be, becoming vacant shall not continue in office after the expiration of 12 months after the occurrence of the vacancy.

If a part-time member is at any time appointed acting Chairman or acting Executive Member, his office shall, during the period of his appointment, be deemed, for the purposes of this section, to be vacant.

Where a part-time member is, or is expected to be, unable (whether on account of illness or otherwise) to attend meetings of the Authority, or there is a vacancy in the office of a part-time member, the Minister may appoint a person to be an acting member during that inability, or until the filling of the vacancy, and the person so appointed has all the powers and functions of a part-time member.

The Minister may—

determine the terms and conditions of appointment of a person appointed under this section; and

at any time terminate such an appointment.

The validity of a decision of the Authority shall not be questioned in any proceedings on a ground arising from the fact that the occasion for the appointment of a person purporting to be appointed under this section had not arisen or that an appointment under this section had ceased to have effect.