36Power to direct government agencies etc during state of emergency

36 Power to direct government agencies etc during state of emergency

36 Power to direct government agencies etc during state of emergency

(1) In a state of emergency, the Minister is responsible for controlling and co-ordinating the activities of such government agencies, and the allocation of such available resources of the Government, as the Minister considers necessary or desirable for responding to the emergency.

(2) For that purpose, the Minister may direct any government agency to do or refrain from doing any act, or to exercise or refrain from exercising any function.

(3) If a direction is given to a government agency under this section—

(a) the government agency must comply with the direction, and

(b) the direction prevails over anything to the contrary in any Act or law, except the Essential Services Act 1988.