14Acting Director‑General

#### 14 Acting Director‑General (1) The Minister may appoint a person to act as Director‑General: (a) during a vacancy in the office of Director‑General; or (b) during any period, or during all periods, when the Director‑General is absent from duty or from Australia or is, for any reason, unable to perform the functions of his or her office; but a person appointed to act during a vacancy shall not continue so to act for more than 12 months. (2) Before a recommendation is made to the Minister for the appointment of a person, under subsection (1), to act as Director‑General, the Prime Minister shall consult with the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives, unless it is impracticable to do so. (3) An appointment of a person under subsection (1) may be expressed to have effect only in such circumstances as are specified in the instrument of appointment. (4) The Minister may: (a) determine the terms and conditions of appointment, including remuneration and allowances, of a person acting as Director‑General; and (b) at any time terminate such an appointment. (5) Where a person is acting as Director‑General in accordance with paragraph (1)(b) and the office of Director‑General becomes vacant while that person is so acting, that person may continue so to act until the Minister otherwise directs, the vacancy is filled or a period of 12 months from the date on which the vacancy occurred expires, whichever first happens. (6) The appointment of a person to act as Director‑General ceases to have effect if the person resigns the appointment by writing signed by the person and delivered to the Minister. (7) While a person is acting as Director‑General, he or she has, and may exercise, all the powers and shall perform all the functions of the Director‑General.