18Authorisation for meetings not to be held in person

18 Authorisation for meetings not to be held in person

(1)  A reference in this section to meetings does not include a reference to meetings of a court or Tribunal for the purposes of proceedings before a court or Tribunal.

(2)  The Minister may, by notice, declare that, despite any provision of a relevant legislative instrument, meetings, of a body of persons, specified in the notice, that are held for the purposes of a relevant legislative instrument that is specified in the notice, may be held in the approved manner, specified in the notice, in relation to such meetings.

(3)  For the purposes of subsection (2) , the approved manner, specified in a notice, in relation to meetings means –

(a) the conduct of such meetings –

(i) by telephone; or

(ii) by electronic communication (including but not limited to by the transmission of electronic mail); or

(iii) by another method –

as determined by a notice in writing, that is, by a means specified in one of the above paragraphs, delivered, by the person who ordinarily presides over such meetings of the body of persons, to each other member of the body of persons, unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so; and

(b) the conduct of such meetings in accordance with the other conditions that are specified in the notice under subsection (2) in relation to such meetings.

(4)  Without limiting the generality of subsection (3)(b) , a reference in subsection (3)(b) to conditions includes a reference to any of the following conditions:

(a) a condition as to what number, of members of the body of persons, specified in the notice, will constitute a quorum in relation to such meetings;

(b) a condition as to whether a person is able to nominate another person to act in the place of the person at such meetings.

(5)  The Minister may only issue a notice under subsection (2) in relation to a body of persons if one or more members of the body of persons, or a person who is nominated by the body of persons or is approved by the Minister to give the request on behalf of the body of persons, have requested that the notice be given in relation to the body of persons and the Minister is of the opinion that –