(1) The Minister may appoint a member to act from time to time as the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner, as the case may be, during the absence from the Territory or from duty of the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner or a vacancy in any of those offices.
(2) Subject to this section, a person appointed under subsection (1) during a vacancy shall not continue in office after the expiration of 12 months after the occurrence of the vacancy.
(3) Where a person is appointed to act as the Commissioner, a Deputy Commissioner or an Assistant Commissioner in pursuance of an appointment under subsection (1):
(a) a reference in a law of the Territory to the Commissioner, a Deputy Commissioner or an Assistant Commissioner, as the case may be, includes a reference to the person so appointed to act; and
(b) that person has all the powers, functions and duties conferred or imposed upon the Commissioner, a Deputy Commissioner or an Assistant Commissioner, as the case may be, by any law of the Territory.
(4) Where a person is, under subsection (1), appointed to act in a position and that position becomes vacant while the person is so acting, the person may continue to act in that position until:
(a) the Minister otherwise directs;
(b) the position ceases to be vacant;
(c) the person resigns his appointment made under subsection (1); or
(d) a period of 12 months from the date on which the vacancy occurred expires,
whichever first occurs.
(5) A person may resign an appointment under subsection (1) by writing signed by him and delivered to the Minister.
(6) A notice of resignation under subsection (5) shall not have effect until it is accepted by the Minister.
(7) The validity of anything done by a person acting as Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner in pursuance of an appointment under subsection (1) shall not be called in question by reason of any defect or irregularity in or in connection with his appointment or on the ground that the occasion for his appointment had not arisen or that the appointment had ceased to have effect.