Ageing and Disability Commissioner Act 2019

The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Commissioner, appoint a person as an Official Community Visitor if the person, in the opinion of the Minister—

has appropriate knowledge and expertise in matters relating to adults with disability or older adults, and

has a commitment to the objects and principles of this Act and the following Acts—

Boarding Houses Act 2012,

Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993,

Community Welfare Act 1987,

Disability Inclusion Act 2014,

Guardianship Act 1987,

National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 of the Commonwealth, and

has skills in the solving of problems about access to, and the use of, services by adults with disability or older adults, and

is not employed within the Department.

An Official Community Visitor holds office for the term, not exceeding 3 years, specified in the instrument of appointment, but is eligible for re-appointment.

A person may not be appointed as an Official Community Visitor for consecutive terms totalling more than 6 years.

The provisions of the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 relating to the employment of Public Service employees do not apply to an Official Community Visitor.

The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Commissioner, remove an Official Community Visitor from office, but only for incompetence, incapacity or misbehaviour.

Despite subsection (5), an Official Community Visitor who has a disability (other than mental incapacity) may not be removed from office on the ground of incapacity unless the disability renders the Official Community Visitor incapable of performing the functions of an Official Community Visitor.