Water Management Act 1999

An election to elect members of the board of a trust is to be conducted by a Returning Officer appointed for the purpose by – for the initial election, the Minister in consultation with the Electoral Commissioner; or for any subsequent election, the trust in consultation with the Electoral Commissioner.

The Returning Officer must be a person who – has attained the age of 18 years; and appears to the Minister or trust to be capable of discharging the functions of that office fairly and responsibly; and is not eligible to vote in the election in any capacity.

The regulations may make provision for and in relation to such elections and, without limiting the generality of this, may – specify which persons or classes of persons are eligible to stand as candidates, and to vote; and authorise the Minister to appoint persons to fill casual vacancies; and provide for the payment, repayment and recovery of electoral costs; and provide for disputed returns and for the resolution of such disputes; and stipulate when the terms of office of elected persons begin or end; and confer functions on the Electoral Commissioner or Returning Officer.

In this section – Electoral Commissioner means the Electoral Commissioner appointed under section 14 of the Electoral Act 2004.