158TMembership of the RTIRC

#### 158T Membership of the RTIRC (1) The RTIRC is to consist of a Chair and at least 2 other members. (2) A person may only be appointed as an RTIRC member if it appears to the Minister that the person has knowledge of, or experience in: (a) matters affecting regional, rural and remote parts of Australia; or (b) telecommunications. (3) The Minister must ensure that: (a) the RTIRC Chair is not a person covered by subsection (4); and (b) a majority of the other RTIRC members are not persons covered by subsection (4). (4) This subsection applies to the following persons: (a) an employee of the Commonwealth; (b) an employee of an authority of the Commonwealth; (c) a person who holds a full‑time office under a law of the Commonwealth. (4A) The Minister must ensure that at least one RTIRC member is nominated by an organisation that represents the interests of people, or bodies, in regional, rural or remote parts of Australia. (5) The Minister must ensure that no RTIRC member is: (a) a carriage service provider; or (b) a partner in a carriage service provider partnership; or (c) an officer or employee of a carrier; or (d) an officer or employee of a carriage service provider; or (e) an officer or employee of a partner in a carrier partnership; or (f) an officer or employee of a partner in a carriage service provider partnership; or (g) an officer or employee of a body corporate, where a related body corporate is: (i) a carrier; or (ii) a carriage service provider; or (iii) a partner in a carrier partnership; or (iv) a partner in a carriage service provider partnership. (6) Section 11 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (as applied by section 7 of this Act) does not apply to a reference in this section to Australia. (7) In this section: > Australia does not include an external Territory prescribed for the purposes of section 10 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. > carriage service provider partnership means a partnership that is a carriage service provider. > carrier partnership means a partnership that is a carrier. > related body corporate has the same meaning as in the Corporations Act 2001.