EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULE 1987 NO. 299 ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS
Section 80 of the Overseas Telecommunications Act 1946 (‘the Act’) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing all matters which by the Act are required or permitted to be prescribed, or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed, for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.
Subsections 23(2) and 31(2) of the Act provide that the Overseas Telecommunications Commission Promotions Appeals Board and the Overseas Telecommunications Commission Disciplinary Appeal Board respectively shall consist of a Chairman, an officer appointed by the Commission and an officers’ representative ascertained in accordance with subsections 23(6) and 31(6) of the Act respectively.
Subsection 23(4) of the Act provides that for the purposes of section 23 of the Act, the positions in the Service of the Commission shall be divided into prescribed classes, and an officers’ representative and a deputy officers’ representative, for each class of positions shall be elected as prescribed by and from the officers who occupy positions in each of those classes of positions.
Subsection 31(4) of the Act provides that for the purposes of section 31 of the Act, the officers of the Commission shall be divided into prescribed classes, and an officers’ representative and a deputy officers’ representative for each class of officers shall be elected as prescribed by and from the officers in that class.
Regulation 13 of the Overseas Telecommunications Commission Regulations formerly provided for the classes of positions for the purposes of subsection 23(4) of the Act, and for the classes of officers for the purposes of subsection 31(4) of the Act and included references to “Divisions”, “Branches” and positions in the Commission which no longer exist as a result of a recent management restructure.
The statutory rule amends regulation 13 to reflect the new management structure of the Commission.