Source: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2008A00012/Html/Text
Timestamp: 2019-12-15 11:09:31
Document Index: 195632823

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 6', 'art 7', 'art 2', 'art 3']

Details: C2008A00012
- C2008A00012
Act No. 12 of 2008 as made
An Act to establish Screen Australia, and for related purposes
Originating Bill: Screen Australia Bill 2008
C2008A00012
Part 2—Screen Australia 4
6............ Functions............................................................................................ 4
7............ Powers................................................................................................ 7
Part 3—The Board of Screen Australia 8
8............ Establishment...................................................................................... 8
9............ Role..................................................................................................... 8
10.......... Membership........................................................................................ 8
12.......... Acting in positions.............................................................................. 9
13.......... Remuneration of members................................................................ 10
14.......... Leave of members............................................................................. 11
15.......... Resignation of members.................................................................... 11
17.......... Other terms and conditions of members............................................ 12
18.......... Meetings........................................................................................... 13
19.......... Decisions without meetings.............................................................. 14
Part 4—Chief Executive Officer, staff and consultants 15
21.......... Role................................................................................................... 15
23.......... Acting appointments......................................................................... 16
24.......... Other employment............................................................................. 16
26.......... Leave................................................................................................. 17
27.......... Disclosure of interests....................................................................... 17
28.......... Resignation....................................................................................... 17
32.......... Maternity leave for non‑APS employees of Screen Australia........... 19
33.......... Long service leave for non‑APS employees of Screen Australia...... 19
35.......... Corporate plan................................................................................... 20
36.......... Contents of corporate plan................................................................ 20
37.......... Approval of corporate plan by Minister............................................ 21
38.......... Variation of corporate plan................................................................ 21
Part 6—Finance 23
39.......... Money payable to Screen Australia................................................... 23
40.......... Application of money by Screen Australia........................................ 23
41.......... Restrictions on financial transactions................................................ 23
42.......... Taxation............................................................................................ 24
Part 7—Other matters 25
43.......... Annual reports.................................................................................. 25
44.......... Ministerial direction.......................................................................... 25
45.......... Regulations....................................................................................... 25
This Act may be cited as the Screen Australia Act 2008.
(see F2008L01863)
Australian program means a program:
(a) that, in the opinion of Screen Australia, has, or will have, a significant Australian content; or
(b) that has been, or is to be, made in pursuance of an agreement entered into between the Commonwealth or an authority of the Commonwealth and the Government of another country or an authority of the Government of another country.
Board means the Board of Screen Australia.
CEO means the Chief Executive Officer of Screen Australia.
Part 2—Screen Australia
(1) Screen Australia is established by this section.
(2) Screen Australia:
Note: The Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 applies to Screen Australia. That Act deals with matters relating to Commonwealth authorities, including reporting and accountability, banking and investment, and conduct of officers.
(3) The seal of Screen Australia is to be kept in such custody as the Board directs, and is not to be used except as authorised by the Board.
(a) take judicial notice of the imprint of the seal of Screen Australia appearing on a document; and
(1) The functions of Screen Australia are to:
(a) support and promote the development of a highly creative, innovative and commercially sustainable Australian screen production industry; and
(b) support or engage in:
(i) the development, production, promotion and distribution of Australian programs; and
(ii) the provision of access to Australian programs and other programs; and
(c) support and promote the development of screen culture in Australia; and
(d) undertake any other function conferred on it by any other law of the Commonwealth.
(2) The ways in which Screen Australia may provide support as mentioned in subsection (1) include (but are not limited to) doing any of the following:
(b) providing guarantees;
(c) commissioning or sponsoring programs or other activities;
(d) providing services, facilities, programs or equipment.
(3) In performing its functions Screen Australia is, as far as practicable, to:
(a) ensure the development of a diverse range of Australian programs that deal with matters of national interest or importance to Australians, or that illustrate or interpret aspects of Australia or the life and activities of Australian people; and
(b) place an emphasis on:
(i) documentaries; and
(ii) programs of interest or relevance to children; and
(iii) programs with a high level of artistic and cultural merit; and
(c) promote the open market as the primary means of support for projects with commercial potential; and
(d) promote the development of commercially focused screen production businesses; and
(e) promote the efficient, effective and ethical use of public resources.
Screen Australia may charge fees
(4) Screen Australia may charge fees for things done in performing its functions.
Screen Australia may cooperate with others
(5) Screen Australia may perform its functions alone or together with other persons.
(6) Without limiting its effect apart from this subsection, this Act also has the effect it would have if the powers and functions of Screen Australia were confined to powers and functions that were to be exercised and performed:
(a) in so far as it is appropriate for those powers and functions to be exercised and performed by Screen Australia on behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth as the national Government of Australia; and
(b) for purposes for which it is appropriate for the Parliament, as the national Parliament of Australia, to authorise Screen Australia to exercise powers and perform functions; and
(c) in relation to expenditure of money that is available for the purposes of Screen Australia in accordance with an appropriation made by the Parliament; and
(1) Screen Australia has power to do all things necessary or convenient to be done for or in connection with the performance of its functions.
(2) Screen Australia’s powers include, but are not limited to, the following powers:
(b) to act as trustee of money, programs or other property vested in Screen Australia on trust;
(d) with the written approval of the Minister, but not otherwise:
(i) to form, or participate with other persons in the formation of, a company; or
(ii) to acquire, hold or dispose of shares or stock in the capital of, or debentures or other securities of, a company;
(e) to do anything incidental to any of its functions.
(3) Despite anything contained in this Act, any money, programs or other property held by Screen Australia on trust must be dealt with in accordance with the obligations of Screen Australia as trustee of the trust.
Part 3—The Board of Screen Australia
The Board of Screen Australia is established by this section.
(1) The Board is responsible for ensuring the proper and efficient performance of Screen Australia’s functions.
(3) All acts and things done in the name of, or on behalf of, Screen Australia by the Board, or with the authority of the Board, are taken to have been done by Screen Australia.
(4) If a function or power of Screen Australia is dependent on the opinion, belief or state of mind of Screen Australia in relation to a matter, the function or power may be exercised upon the opinion, belief or state of mind of a person or body acting as mentioned in subsection (3) in relation to that matter.
(6) Anything done by or in relation to a person purporting to act under an appointment under subsection (4) or (5) is not invalid merely because:
Note: For more information about acting appointments, see section 33A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.
There is to be a Chief Executive Officer of Screen Australia.
(1) The CEO is responsible for the day‑to‑day administration of Screen Australia.
(4) All acts and things done in the name of, or on behalf of, Screen Australia by the CEO, or with the authority of the CEO, are taken to have been done by Screen Australia.
(5) If a function or power of Screen Australia is dependent on the opinion, belief or state of mind of Screen Australia in relation to a matter, the function or power may be exercised upon the opinion, belief or state of mind of a person or body acting as mentioned in subsection (4) in relation to that matter.
(1) The Board may, after consultation with the Minister, appoint a person to act as the CEO:
(1) The staff of Screen Australia consists of:
(a) any persons employed under subsection (2); and
(b) any persons engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 for the purposes of Screen Australia.
(2) Screen Australia may employ persons on the terms and conditions that Screen Australia determines.
(a) the CEO, and the staff of Screen Australia referred to in paragraph (1)(b), together constitute a Statutory Agency; and
32 Maternity leave for non‑APS employees of Screen Australia
The Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1973 applies to a person employed by Screen Australia under subsection 31(2) of this Act as if the person were engaged under the Public Service Act 1999.
33 Long service leave for non‑APS employees of Screen Australia
The Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1976 applies to a person employed by Screen Australia under subsection 31(2) of this Act as if the person were engaged under the Public Service Act 1999.
Screen Australia may engage consultants to assist in the performance of its functions.
35 Corporate plan
(1) The Board must prepare a corporate plan for Screen Australia at least once a year.
36 Contents of corporate plan
(a) a statement of the objectives that Screen Australia will pursue;
(b) the strategies and policies that Screen Australia will adopt to achieve those objectives;
(c) performance indicators for the assessment of Screen Australia’s performance of its functions;
(d) the investment and financing programs of Screen Australia, including strategies for managing financial risk;
(e) the financial targets and projections for Screen Australia;
(f) an analysis of factors likely to affect achievement of targets or create significant financial risk for Screen Australia or for the Commonwealth;
(g) a review of performance since the start of the year previous to the year in which the plan is prepared, measured against the most recent plan for any part of that period;
(h) such other matters (if any) as the Minister directs.
(3) If a direction under paragraph (1)(h) is in writing, the direction is not a legislative instrument.
37 Approval of corporate plan by Minister
38 Variation of corporate plan
39 Money payable to Screen Australia
(1) There is payable to Screen Australia such money as is appropriated by the Parliament for the purposes of Screen Australia.
(2) The Finance Minister may give directions about the amounts in which, and the times at which, money payable under subsection (1) is to be paid to Screen Australia.
40 Application of money by Screen Australia
(1) The money of Screen Australia is to be applied only:
(a) in payment or discharge of the costs, expenses and other obligations incurred or undertaken by Screen Australia in the performance of its functions and the exercise of its powers; and
(2) Subsection (1) does not prevent investment of surplus money of Screen Australia under section 18 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997.
41 Restrictions on financial transactions
(1) Screen Australia must not, without the approval of the Minister:
(c) enter into a contract for the construction of a building for Screen Australia, being a contract under which Screen Australia is to pay an amount exceeding the amount prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph; or
(2) Paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) do not apply to:
(a) transactions relating to the functions described in subparagraph 6(1)(b)(i); or
(b) the investment of money by Screen Australia under section 18 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997.
(3) The regulations may prescribe limits on the total amounts of money that may be spent, guaranteed or otherwise committed in a specified period by Screen Australia in performing its functions under subparagraph 6(1)(b)(i).
(4) If an approval under subsection (1) is in writing, the approval is not a legislative instrument.
(1) Screen Australia is not subject to taxation under any law of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory.
Note: Despite this subsection, Screen Australia may be subject to taxation under certain laws (see, for example, section 177‑5 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 and section 66 of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986).
43 Annual reports
The annual report on Screen Australia under section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 must include:
(a) the guarantees given by Screen Australia during the period to which the report relates; and
(b) the total amount the subject of the guarantees referred to in paragraph (a).
44 Ministerial direction
(a) in relation to the performance of the functions of, and the exercise of powers of, Screen Australia; or
(b) requiring the provision of a report or advice on a matter that relates to any of Screen Australia’s functions or powers.
House of Representatives on 20 February 2008
Senate on 13 March 2008]
(36/08)