8The Scientific Advisory Committee

8 The Scientific Advisory Committee (1) There is established by this Act a body to be called the Scientific Advisory Committee. (2) The following are the functions of the Committee— (a) to advise the Minister on the listing of taxa or communities of flora and fauna and potentially threatening processes; (b) to advise the Minister on any other flora and fauna conservation matters. S. 8(3) substituted by No. 28/2019 s. 9. (3) The Committee consists of at least 7 but not more than 9 members appointed by the Minister. S. 8(3A) inserted by No. 28/2019 s. 9. (3A) Subject to subsection (3B), each member of the Committee must be a scientist. S. 8(3B) inserted by No. 28/2019 s. 9. (3B) A majority of the members of the Committee must be scientists who are not employed under Part 3 of the **Public Administration Act 2004**. (4) All members of the Committee must be knowledgeable and experienced in the sciences of flora or fauna conservation or ecology. (5) Each member of the Committee must have in the opinion of the Minister expertise in one or more of the following categories and between them the members of the Committee must have expertise in all the following categories— (a) vertebrate fauna; (b) invertebrate fauna; (c) vascular flora; (d) non-vascular flora; (e) communities of flora or fauna; (f) aquatic taxa or communities of flora or fauna in marine environments; (g) aquatic taxa or communities of flora or fauna in inland aquatic environments; (h) taxa or communities of flora or fauna in terrestrial environments; (i) potentially threatening processes. (6) Except as provided in subsections (7), (8) and (9) the provisions relating to the membership and procedure of committees and councils set out in Schedule 2 to the **Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987** apply to the Committee. (7) The Convenor must not be a senior government scientific officer. (8) If a Committee member has any interest which is likely to interfere with that member's ability to perform his or her duties as a Committee member that member must disclose that interest to the Committee. S. 8(9) amended by No. 46/1998 s. 7(Sch. 1), substituted by Nos 108/2004 s. 117(1) (Sch. 3 item 80.3), 80/2006 s. 26(Sch. item 41). (9) The **Public Administration Act 2004** (other than Part 3 of that Act) applies to a member of the Committee in respect of the office of member.