8Land etc. for Museum

8 Land etc. for Museum

(1) The Minister may make available to the Museum for the purposes of the Museum: (a) such areas of land (including any buildings, structures or other improvements on those areas); and (b) such areas of water; owned or held under lease by, or otherwise under the control of, the Commonwealth as are specified by the Minister by notice in the Gazette. (2) The Minister may: (a) where the Council so requests, transfer or cause to be transferred to the Museum maritime historical material owned by the Commonwealth; and (b) transfer or cause to be transferred to the Museum such other goods or equipment owned by the Commonwealth as the Minister considers would be of use to the Museum. (3) Where the Minister causes an asset to be transferred to the Museum under subsection (2), the Minister may, by writing signed by him or her, declare that the transfer shall be taken to have had effect from a specified day, not being a day earlier than the day on which this Act commences, and, where the Minister makes such a declaration, it has effect accordingly. (4) Where an asset of the Commonwealth is transferred to the Museum under subsection (2), the Museum becomes liable to pay and discharge all debts, liabilities and obligations of the Commonwealth (if any) that existed immediately before the transfer in respect of that asset. (5) The Minister may, by writing signed by him or her, declare that a specified agreement or a specified instrument: (a) to which the Commonwealth or the Commonwealth Government is a party; and (b) that immediately before the commencement of this Act related to a maritime museum; has effect, after the commencement of this Act, as if: (c) the Museum were substituted for the Commonwealth or the Commonwealth Government, as the case may be, as a party to the agreement or instrument; and (d) any reference in the agreement or instrument to the Commonwealth or the Commonwealth Government were (except in relation to matters that occurred before the commencement of this Act) a reference to the Museum; and, where the Minister makes such a declaration, it has effect accordingly.