Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2004Q01001:body:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2004Q01001
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 6–2795

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

      ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:

      TO

      THE HONOURABLE PHILLIP GEORGE EVATT DSC, LL.B.

      GREETING:

      WHEREAS by Letters Patent issued in Our name by Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on 13 May 1983 we appointed you to be a Commissioner to inquire into and report upon certain matters relating to the use, and the effects in certain respects of the use, of chemical agents in the course of hostilities in Vietnam:

      AND WHEREAS it is desirable that your inquiry include certain matters that do not fall directly within the matters to be inquired into under the Letters Patent issued on 13 May 1983:

      NOW THEREFORE We do by these Our Letters Patent issued in Our name by Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on the advice of the Federal Executive Council and in pursuance of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Royal Commissions Act 1902 and other enabling powers, fix 13 January 1985 as the date on or before which We require you to furnish to Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia a final report of the results, including findings and conclusions, of your inquiry into, and your recommendations concerning, all matters specified in the Letters Patent issued on 13 May 1983:

      AND We vary the Letters Patent issued on 13 May 1983 so as to require you -

          (a) to commence the epidemiological study relating to the morbidity of Australian national service personnel who served in Vietnam in the period commencing on 31 July 1962 and ending at the expiration of 11 January 1973, as that study has been proposed by you in your letter dated 23 December 1983 to the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia and amended by you in your letter dated 16 February 1984 to the Special Minister of State;

          AND

          (b) to undertake in the course of the study an early analysis of traceability, response rates, prevalence rates and the establishment of an exposure index, and to furnish to Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia not later than 31 January 1985 a report on the results of your analysis in order that We may further determine whether the study should continue.

                     WITNESS His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Ninian Martin Stephen, a member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Knight of the Order of Australia, Knight Grand Cross of The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight Grand Cross of The Royal Victorian Order, Knight Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital