Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner Act 1987
Act No. 98 of 1987 as amended
Consolidated as in force on 5 August 1997
(includes amendments up to Act No. 62 of 1997)
Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting,
Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra
Contents
1 Short title [see Note 1]...........................1
2 Commencement [see Note 1]........................1
3 Interpretation.................................1
4 Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner..............1
5 Functions of Commissioner........................2
6 Terms and conditions of appointment...................2
7 Remuneration and allowances.......................3
8 Disclosure of interests............................3
9 Leave of absence...............................3
10 Resignation..................................3
11 Termination of appointment........................3
12 Acting Commissioner............................4
13 Staff and consultants.............................5
14 Regulations..................................5
An Act to establish an office of Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner, and for related purposes
This Act may be cited as the Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner Act 1987.
This Act shall come into operation on a day to be fixed by Proclamation.
In this Act:
appoint includes re-appoint.
approved deposit fund has the same meaning as in the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993.
Commissioner means the Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner.
insurance business has the same meaning as in the Insurance Act 1973.
life insurance business has the same meaning as in the Life Insurance Act 1995.
pooled superannuation trust has the same meaning as in the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993.
RSA has the same meaning as in the Retirement Savings Accounts Act 1997.
RSA provider has the same meaning as in the Retirement Savings Accounts Act 1997.
superannuation fund has the same meaning as in the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993.
(1) There shall be an Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner who shall be appointed by the Governor-General.
(2) A person who has attained the age of 65 years shall not be appointed as Commissioner, and a person shall not be appointed as Commissioner for a period that extends beyond the day on which the person will attain the age of 65 years.
(3) A person who is:
(a) a director or employee of a body corporate that carries on insurance business or life insurance business in Australia, or of a body corporate that is related to such a body corporate;
(b) a trustee of a superannuation fund, a pooled superannuation trust or an approved deposit fund; or
(c) a director or employee:
(i) of a body corporate that is a trustee of a superannuation fund, a pooled superannuation trust or an approved deposit fund; or
(ii) of a body corporate that is related to a body corporate that is such a trustee; or
(d) a director or employee of an RSA provider, or of a body corporate that is related to an RSA provider;
shall not be appointed as Commissioner.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (3), the question whether bodies corporate are related to each other shall be determined in the same manner as the question whether corporations, within the meaning of the Companies Act 1981, are related to each other would be determined under that Act if, in section 7 of that Act:
(a) the reference to a corporation that is in a position to cast, or control the casting of, more than one-half of the maximum number of votes that might be cast at a general meeting of another corporation were a reference to a corporation that is in a position to cast, or control the casting of, more than one-quarter of that number of votes; and
(b) the reference to a corporation holding more than one-half of the issued share capital of another corporation were a reference to a corporation holding more than one-quarter of the issued share capital of another corporation.
The Commissioner has such functions as are conferred on the Commissioner by this Act or any other Act.
(1) The Commissioner holds office, subject to this Act, for such period, not exceeding 7 years, as is specified in the instrument of appointment.
(2) The Commissioner holds office on such terms and conditions (if any) in respect of matters not provided for by this Act as are determined by the Governor-General.
Subject to the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973, the Commissioner shall be paid:
(a) such remuneration as is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal; and
(b) such allowances as are prescribed.
The Commissioner shall give written notice to the Minister of all direct or indirect pecuniary interests that the Commissioner has or acquires in:
(a) any insurance business or life insurance business carried on in Australia or any body corporate carrying on any such business;
(aa) any pooled superannuation trust or any body corporate that is a trustee of such a trust;
(ab) any RSA or any RSA provider;
(b) any superannuation fund or approved deposit fund or any body corporate that is a trustee of such a fund; or
(c) any other business.
(1) Subject to section 87E of the Public Service Act 1922, a Commissioner has such recreation leave entitlements as are determined by the Remuneration Tribunal.
(2) The Minister may grant the Commissioner leave of absence, other than recreation leave, on such terms and conditions as to remuneration or otherwise as the Minister determines.
The Commissioner may resign from office by writing delivered to the Governor-General.
(1) The Governor-General may terminate the appointment of the Commissioner for misbehaviour or physical or mental incapacity.
(2) The Governor-General shall terminate the appointment of the Commissioner if the Commissioner:
(a) becomes bankrupt, applies to take the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors, compounds with creditors or makes an assignment of remuneration for their benefit;
(b) is absent from duty, except on leave of absence, for 14 consecutive days or for 28 days in any 12 months;
(c) becomes:
(i) a director or employee of a body corporate of a kind referred to in paragraph 4(3)(a), (c) or (d); or
(ii) a trustee of a superannuation fund, a pooled superannuation trust or an approved deposit fund;
(d) engages in paid employment outside the duties of the office without the approval of the Minister; or
(e) contravenes section 8 without reasonable excuse.
(1) The Minister may appoint a person who is eligible to be appointed as Commissioner to act as Commissioner:
(a) during a vacancy in the office of Commissioner (whether or not an appointment has previously been made to the office); or
(b) during any period, or during all periods, when the Commissioner is absent from duty or from Australia or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the duties of the office of Commissioner;
but a person appointed to act during a vacancy shall not continue so to act for more than 12 months.
(2) An appointment of a person under subsection (1) may be expressed to have effect only in specified circumstances.
(3) Where a person is acting in the office of Commissioner in accordance with paragraph (1)(b) and the office becomes vacant while the person is so acting, then, subject to subsection (2), the person may continue so to act until the Minister otherwise directs, the vacancy is filled or a period of 12 months from the date on which the vacancy occurred expires, whichever first occurs.
(4) While a person is acting in the office of Commissioner, the person has and may exercise all the powers, and shall perform all the functions, of the Commissioner.
(5) The Minister may:
(a) determine the terms and conditions of appointment, including remuneration and allowances, of a person acting in the office of Commissioner; and
(b) terminate such an appointment at any time.
(6) A person appointed under subsection (1) may resign the appointment by writing delivered to the Minister.
(7) Anything done by or in relation to a person purporting to act under subsection (1) is not invalid on the ground that:
(a) the occasion for the person’s appointment had not arisen;
(b) there is a defect or irregularity in connection with the person’s appointment;
(c) the person’s appointment had ceased to have effect; or
(d) the occasion for the person to act had not arisen or had ceased.
(1) The staff required to assist the Commissioner in the performance of the Commissioner’s functions shall be persons appointed under the Public Service Act 1922.
(2) The Commissioner has all the powers of, or exercisable by, a Secretary of a Department of the Australian Public Service under the Public Service Act 1922, so far as those powers relate to the branch of the Australian Public Service comprising the staff referred to in subsection (1), as if that branch were a separate Department of the Australian Public Service.
(3) The Commissioner may engage as consultants, on such terms and conditions as are determined by the Commissioner, persons having suitable qualifications and experience.
The Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing matters:
(a) required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or
(b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.
1. The Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner Act 1987 as shown in this reprint comprises Act No. 98, 1987 amended as indicated in the Tables below.
Table of Acts
Act | Number | Date | Date of commencement | Application, saving or transitional provisions |
Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner Act 1987 | 98, 1987 | 5 Nov 1987 | 23 Nov 1987 (see Gazette 1987, No. S310) |
|
Occupational Superannuation Laws Amendment Act 1991 | 55, 1991 | 24 Apr 1991 | 24 Apr 1991 | — |
Industrial Relations Legislation Amendment Act 1991 | 122, 1991 | 27 June 1991 | Ss. 4(1), 10(b) and 15-20: 1 Dec 1988 | S. 31(2) |
Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Consequential Amendments Act 1993 | 82, 1993 | 30 Nov 1993 | Ss. 1, 2, 4, 14, 16(2), 41, 42, 45, 46, 48(1) and 52-64: 1 Dec 1993 | — |
Life Insurance (Consequential Amendments and Repeals) Act 1995 | 5, 1995 | 23 Feb 1995 | 1 July 1995 (see s. 2 and Gazette 1995, No. GN24) | — |
Statute Law Revision Act 1996 | 43, 1996 | 25 Oct 1996 | Schedule 4 (item 96): Royal Assent (a) | — |
Retirement Savings Accounts (Consequential Amendments) Act 1997 | 62, 1997 | 28 May 1997 | 2 June 1997 (see s. 2 and Gazette 1997, No. S202) | — |
(a) The Insurance and Superannuation Commissioner Act 1987 was amended by Schedule 4 (item 96) only of the Statute Law Revision Act 1996, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:
“(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.”
Table of Amendments
ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted |
Provision affected | How affected |
S. 3.................... | am. No. 55, 1991; No. 82, 1993; No. 5, 1995; No. 62, 1997 |
S. 4.................... | am. No. 55, 1991; No. 62, 1997 |
S. 7.................... | am. No. 43, 1996 |
S. 8.................... | am. No. 55, 1991; No. 62, 1997 |
S. 9.................... | rs. No. 122, 1991 |
S. 11................... | am. Nos. 55 and 122, 1991; No. 62, 1997 |