17Authorisation to take actions electronically

17 Authorisation to take actions electronically

(1)  The Minister may, by notice, declare that, despite the provision of any relevant legislative instrument, any action that is required, by virtue of a provision, of a relevant legislative instrument, that is specified in the notice, to be –

(a) taken by means of a physical action such as signature or personal service; or

(b) evidenced in a document that is not an electronic document –

may be taken or evidenced, respectively, by the electronic means specified, in the notice, in relation to that provision, if the conditions, if any, specified in the notice are complied with.

(2)  Without limiting the generality of subsection (1) , the conditions that may be imposed in a notice under that subsection may include a condition that the electronic means referred to in the notice is only authorised by the notice to occur if a person who may receive the relevant electronic communication by the electronic means agrees to receive the communication by that means.

(3)  Despite the provision of any relevant legislative instrument or law, including but not limited to the Acts Interpretation Act 1931 , a notice under subsection (1) may relate to a requirement for a notice to be published in the Gazette, but only if the electronic means, specified in the notice, by which the Gazette is to be published consists of the publication of the Gazette at a website specified, or referred to, in the notice.