Commonwealth Numbered Acts

OMBUDSMAN ACT 1976 No. 181, 1976 - SECT 29

29. (1) The Governor-General may appoint a person to act in the office of
Commonwealth Ombudsman or in an office of Deputy Commonwealth Ombudsman-

   (a)  during any period, or during all periods, when the person holding the
        office is absent from duty or from Australia;

   (b)  during the suspension from office of the person holding the office; or

   (c)  during a vacancy in the office, and may, at any time, terminate such
        an appointment.

(2) A person appointed to act as an Ombudsman during a vacancy in an office
shall not continue so to act after the expiration of 12 months after the
occurrence of the vacancy.

(3) If a Deputy Commonwealth Ombudsman is at any time appointed to act in the
office of Commonwealth Ombudsman, his office shall, during the period of his
appointment, be deemed, for the purposes of this section, to be vacant.

(4) Where a person is acting in an office of Commonwealth Ombudsman or Deputy
Commonwealth Ombudsman in pursuance of an appointment under this section
otherwise than during a vacancy in that office and the office becomes vacant
while that person is so acting, that person may continue to act in the office
until the Governor-General otherwise directs, the vacancy is filled or a
period of 12 months from the date on which the vacancy occurred expires,
whichever first happens.

(5) The Minister may determine the terms and conditions of appointment of a
person appointed under this section.

(6) Sections 25 and 26 apply in relation to a person appointed under this
section in like manner as they apply in relation to an Ombudsman.

(7) Where a person is acting in an office in pursuance of an appointment under
this section, he has, and may exercise, all the powers, and he may perform all
the functions, of the holder of that office under this Act.

(8) The validity of anything done by a person appointed under this section
shall not be called in question on the ground that the occasion for his
appointment had not arisen or that his appointment had ceased to have effect.