Commonwealth Numbered Acts

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMISSION ACT 1989 No. 150 of 1989 - SECT 7

7. (1) The Commission has the following functions:

   (a)  to formulate and implement programs for Aboriginal persons and Torres
        Strait Islanders;

   (b)  to monitor the effectiveness of programs for Aboriginal persons and
        Torres Strait Islanders, including programs conducted by bodies other
        than the Commission;

   (c)  to develop policy proposals to meet national, State, Territory and
        regional needs and priorities of Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait
        Islanders; (d) to assist, advise and co-operate with Aboriginal and
        Torres Strait Islander communities, organisations and individuals at
        national, State, Territory and regional levels;

   (e)  to advise the Minister on:

        (i)    matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
               affairs, including the administration of legislation; and

        (ii)   the co-ordination of the activities of other Commonwealth
               bodies that affect Aboriginal persons or
               Torres Strait Islanders;

   (f)  when requested by the Minister, to provide information or advice to
        the Minister on any matter specified by the Minister;

   (g)  to take such reasonable action as it thinks necessary to protect
        Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural material and
        information, being material or information that is considered sacred
        or otherwise significant by Aboriginal persons or
        Torres Strait Islanders;

   (h)  at the request or with the concurrence of the Australian Bureau of
        Statistics but not otherwise, and without infringing the privacy of
        any individual, to collect and publish statistical information
        relating to Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait Islanders;

   (j)  such other functions as are conferred on the Commission by this Act or
        any other Act;

   (k)  such other functions as are conferred on the Commission by the Prime
        Minister by notices in force under section 8;

   (m)  such other functions as are expressly conferred on the Commission by a
        law of a State or of an internal Territory and in respect of which
        there is in force written approval by the Minister under section 9;

   (n)  to undertake such research as is necessary to enable it to perform any
        of its other functions;

   (o)  to do anything else that is incidental or conducive to the performance
        of any of the preceding functions.

(2) The information that may be required by the Minister under paragraph (1)
(f) includes, but is not limited to, information about the Commission's
expenditure.

(3) The Minister is not empowered, when requesting information under paragraph
(1) (f), to specify the content of the information that is to be provided.

(4) In performing its function under paragraph (1) (g), the Commission shall
ensure that material or information covered by that paragraph is not disclosed
by the Commission if that disclosure would be inconsistent with the views or
sensitivities of relevant Aboriginal persons or Torres Strait Islanders.

(5) Nothing in this section or in any other provision of this Act shall be
read as conferring on the Commission a function of acquiring land except:

   (a)  for its administrative purposes; or

   (b)  for the purpose of the performance of functions expressly conferred on
        the Commission by this Act.