Broadcasting and Television

No. 47 of 1967

An Act to amend the Broadcasting and Television Act 1942-1966.

[Assented to 26 May 1967]

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 Broadcasting and Television Act 1967.

(2.) The Broadcasting and Television Act 1942-1966 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Broadcasting and Television Act 1942-1967.

Commencement.

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

Composition of Commission.

3. Section 31 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-section (1.) the word “seven” and inserting in its stead the word “nine”;

(b) by omitting sub-section (2.); and

“(4.) The Governor-General shall appoint one Commissioner to be Chairman of the Commission and another Commissioner to be Vice-Chairman of the Commission.”.

Term of office of Commissioners.

4.—(1.) Section 32 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from paragraph (a) of sub-section (1.) the words “subject to this section”; and

(b) by omitting sub-section (2.).

(2.) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 32 of the Principal Act as amended by this Act, of the Commissioners appointed after the commencement of this Act and on or before the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven—

(a) one may be appointed for a period that ends on the thirty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight; and

(b) another may be appointed for a period that ends on the thirty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine.

5. Section 46a of the Principal Act is repealed and the following section inserted in its stead:—

Approval of Minister to certain classifications.

“46a. Any determination under section forty-five of this Act of the salary, or range of salary, applicable to a position in the service of the Commission, or any re-classification of such a position by raising the salary or range of salary applicable to the position, is subject to the approval of the Minister where the salary, or any salary in the range of salary, exceeds—

(a) the rate of Seven thousand five hundred dollars per annum; or

(b) if a higher rate is prescribed—that higher rate.”.

6. After section 48 of the Principal Act, the following section is inserted:—

Promotion of officers who complete courses of training for special positions.

“48a.—(1.) The regulations may provide that—

(a) an office specified in the regulations is an office the occupant of which is required to undergo a course of training approved by the Commission for the purpose of enabling him to perform duties that require professional, technical or other knowledge; and

(b) an officer who has completed that course of training to the satisfaction of the Commission is entitled to be promoted in accordance with this section to such other office as is specified in the regulations in relation to that first-mentioned office.

“(2.) An officer who has completed, to the satisfaction of the Commission, the course of training approved by the Commission shall be

promoted to the office specified in the regulations under paragraph (b) of the last preceding sub-section as soon as practicable after a vacancy occurs in that office.

“(3.) Where two or more officers complete at the same time a course of training approved by the Commission, the promotion of those officers under the last preceding sub-section shall be made in accordance with the respective seniorities of those officers as determined for the purposes of the last preceding section.

“(4.) Until an officer who is entitled to promotion under sub-section (2.) of this section is promoted, the officer shall, for the purposes of salary and such other purposes as are determined by the Commission, be deemed to be the occupant of the office to which he is entitled to be promoted.

“(5.) A promotion under sub-section (2.) of this section is not subject to appeal as provided by the next succeeding section.”.

Employment of married women.

7. Section 53 of the Principal Act is repealed.

Advertisements.

8. Section 65 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from subsection (2.) the words “notices and particulars of prescribed entrance examinations in pursuance of sub-section (4.) of section forty-three of this Act, or”.

9. After section 78 of the Principal Act, the following section is inserted:—

Action taken under section 64 or 77 to be reported to the Parliament.

“78a. Where the Minister has given a direction under section sixty-four of this Act or has prohibited the broadcasting or televising of any matter or made any requirement under section seventy-seven of this Act, he shall, within seven sitting days of giving such direction or notifying such prohibition or requirement, report the same in writing to both Houses of the Parliament and shall give the reasons for such direction, prohibition or requirement, as the case may be.”.

10. After section 105 of the Principal Act, the following section is inserted:—

Action taken under section 99(3.) or 104 to be reported to the Parliament.

“105a. Where the Minister has prohibited the broadcasting or televising of any matter or has made any requirement under sub-section (3.) of section ninety-nine or section one hundred and four of this Act, he shall within seven sitting days report the same in writing to both Houses of the Parliament and shall give the reasons for such prohibition or requirement, as the case may be.”.

Licence fees.

11. Section 128 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting sub-paragraph (iii) of paragraph (b) of sub-section (3.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-paragraph:—

“(iii) has an income the rate of which does not exceed an amount per annum equal to the sum of the amount

specified in paragraph (a) of sub-section (1a.) of section twenty-eight of the Social Services Act 1947-1967 and the amount specified in paragraph (a) of sub-section (2.) of that section.”;

(b) by omitting paragraph (a) of sub-section (4.) and inserting in its stead the following paragraph:—

“(a) is in receipt of a pension under Part III. or Part IV., or an allowance under Part VIIa., of the Social Services Act 1947-1967;”; and