(1) The Departmental
CEO has authority to inquire into all local governments and their operations
and affairs.
(2) The Departmental
CEO may, by written authorisation, authorise a person to inquire into and
report on any aspect of a local government or its operations or affairs.
(3) The Minister may
direct the Departmental CEO to authorise an inquiry under this section.
(4) The Departmental
CEO is to advise the Minister if and when an inquiry is authorised under this
section.
(5) An election
(within the meaning of Part 4) is not to be the subject of an inquiry under
this section if the Electoral Commissioner was responsible for the conduct of
the election.
(6) If 2 or more
people are authorised to conduct an inquiry —
(a) a
reference in section 8.4, 8.12, 8.13, 8.14 or 8.15A to the authorised person
or an authorised person is a reference to those people; and
(b) a
reference in section 8.5, 8.6, 8.8, 8.9, 8.10 or 8.11 to an authorised person
is a reference to any of those people.
[Section 8.3 amended: No. 64 of 1998 s. 41, No. 28
of 2006 s. 364.]