20Acting members

#### 20 Acting members (1) Subject to subsection (2), where there is a vacancy in the office of Chair, the Minister may appoint a person to act in the place of the Chair until the filling of the vacancy. (2) A person appointed under subsection (1) to act in the place of the Chair shall not continue so to act after the expiration of a period of 12 months after the occurrence of the vacancy. (3) Where the Chair is absent from duty or from Australia or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the duties of his or her office: (a) the First Deputy Chair must act in the place of the Chair; or (b) if the First Deputy Chair is not available to act in the place of the Chair, the Second Deputy Chair (if any) must act during the absence or inability of the First Deputy Chair; or (c) if: (i) there is no Deputy Chair; or (ii) a Deputy Chair is not available to act in the place of the Chair; the Minister may appoint a member to act in the place of the Chair during the absence or inability of the Chair. Any such appointment ceases to have effect if a person is appointed in the place of a Deputy Chair or a Deputy Chair becomes available to act in the place of the Chair. (4) Where a member other than the Chair is acting in the place of the Chair, is absent from duty or from Australia, or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the duties of his or her office, the Minister may appoint a person to act in the place of that member during the period during which that member is so acting, absent or unable to perform the duties of his office. (5) A person appointed under subsection (4) to act in the place of a member who is the Deputy Chair is not entitled to act as the Deputy Chair. (6) A person acting, or appointed to act, in accordance with this section, in the place of the Chair has all the functions, powers and duties of the Chair and, for the purpose of constituting a quorum at a meeting of the Commission, shall be treated as the Chair. (7) Subject to subsection (5), a person appointed to act, in accordance with this section, in the place of a member other than the Chair has all the functions, powers and duties of that member and shall, for the purpose of constituting a quorum at a meeting of the Commission, be treated as that member. (8) The Minister may: (a) subject to this Act and having regard to the terms and conditions of appointment applicable to members, determine terms and conditions of appointment (including remuneration and allowances) of a person appointed under this section; and (b) at any time terminate such an appointment.