PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS.

No. 74 of 1952.

An Act to amend the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1947-1950.

[Assented to 1st November, 1952.]

BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1952.

(2.) The Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1947-1950 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1947-1952.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3. Section nineteen of the Principal Act is repealed and the following section inserted in its stead:—

Appointment of committees.

“19.—(1.) The Minister may, for the purposes of this Act, establish such other committees as he thinks fit.

“(2.) A committee established under this section shall not inquire into, or advise or report upon, a matter concerning the conduct of—

(a) medical practitioners, or a particular medical practitioner; or

(b) pharmaceutical chemists, or a particular pharmaceutical chemist,

unless all the members of the committee who take part in the proceedings of the committee in relation to the matter, other than a

member who is an officer of the Public Service of the Commonwealth, are medical practitioners or pharmaceutical chemists, as the case may be.”.

Regulations.

4. Section twenty-three of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting paragraph (f) and inserting in its stead the following paragraphs:—

“(f) for prescribing the constitution, powers, functions, duties and procedure of committees established by or under this Act;

“(fa) for prescribing, or providing for the fixing of, the fees and allowances payable to members of committees established by or under this Act, other than members who are officers of the Public Service of the Commonwealth or of a State;

“(fb) for investing any court of a State with federal jurisdiction with respect to any matter arising under the regulations;

“(fc) for conferring jurisdiction on any court of a Territory of the Commonwealth with respect to any matter arising under the regulations; and”; and

(b) by adding at the end thereof the following sub-section:—

“(2.) The powers that may be prescribed in respect of a committee established by or under this Act include power to require persons to attend as witnesses and to be examined upon oath or affirmation.”.