EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1984 NO. 434
MATERNITY LEAVE (COMMONWEALTH EMPLOYEES) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Issued with the authority of the Public Service Board
Section 15 of the Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1973 provides that the Governor-General may make regulations prescribing all matters required or permitted to be prescribed.
Paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Act provides, inter alia, that the Act applies to such persons employed by a prescribed authority, as are prescribed.
Paragraph 4(a) of the Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Regulations provides, inter alia, that a body corporate specified in column 2 of Schedule 1 to the Regulations is a prescribed body in relation to which the Act applies.
Paragraph 6(a) of the Regulations provides, inter alia, that a person employed by a body corporate referred to in regulation 4 is a prescribed person.
The regulation amends Schedule 1 of the Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Regulations to provide for the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation to be a prescribed authority in relation to which the Act applies.
The Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation is established under the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation Act 1977. It engages staff on its own behalf and determines terms and conditions of employment. The Minister for Primary Industry, who administers the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation Act, has sought the inclusion of the Corporation as a prescribed authority for the purposes of paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act and it is appropriate that the Commission be included.