This Act may be cited as the Minister of Local Government Act 1972.

The functions, powers, and duties conferred or imposed on the Minister of Internal Affairs by any of the Acts specified in the Schedule to this Act, or by any regulations, rules, orders, or bylaws made under any such Act, shall be exercised or performed by the Minister of Local Government.

The Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, amend the Schedule to this Act by adding a reference to the Short Title of any Act.

The person for the time being holding the office of Secretary for Internal Affairs shall be the Secretary for Local Government.

The functions, powers, and duties conferred on the Secretary for Internal Affairs by any of the Acts specified in the Schedule to this Act, or by any regulations, rules, orders, or bylaws made under any such Act, shall be exercised or performed by the Secretary for Local Government.

On the occurrence from any cause of a vacancy in the office of Secretary for Local Government, whether by reason of death, resignation, or otherwise, or in the absence from duty of the Secretary for Local Government, from whatever cause arising, and so long as the vacancy or absence continues, the Deputy Secretary for Internal Affairs shall have and may exercise and perform all the functions, powers, and duties of the Secretary for Local Government.

The fact that the Deputy Secretary for Internal Affairs exercises or performs any function, power, or duty as aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence of his power to do so, and no person shall be concerned to inquire whether the occasion requiring or authorising him to do so has arisen or has ceased.

The Minister of Local Government may from time to time by writing under his hand, either generally or particularly, delegate to any person employed in the Department of Internal Affairs any of the functions, powers, and duties conferred or imposed on the Minister by section 2 of this Act (including this power of delegation).

The Secretary for Local Government may from time to time by writing under his hand, either generally or particularly, delegate to any person employed in the Department of Internal Affairs any of the functions, powers, or duties conferred or imposed on the Secretary by subsection (2) of section 3 of this Act (including this power of delegation).

Subject to any general or special directions given or conditions attached by the person making the delegation, any person to whom any functions, powers, or duties are delegated under this section may exercise or perform those functions, duties, or powers in the same manner and with the same effect as if they had been conferred or imposed on him directly by this section and not by delegation.

Every person purporting to act pursuant to any delegation under this section shall be presumed to be acting in accordance with the terms of the delegation in the absence of proof to the contrary.

Any delegation under this section may be made to a specified employee or to employees of a specified class, or may be made to the holder or holders for the time being of a specified office or class of offices.

Every delegation under this section shall be revocable in writing at will, and no such delegation shall prevent the exercise or performance of any function, power, or duty by the person making the delegation.

Every delegation under this section shall, until revoked, continue in force according to its tenor. In the event of the Minister or Secretary by whom any such delegation has been made ceasing to hold office, it shall continue to have effect as if made by the person for the time being holding that office.

Every reference in any of the Acts specified in the Schedule to this Act, or in any regulation, rule, order, notice, bylaw, agreement, deed, instrument, application, or other document whatsoever made or given pursuant to any such Act and in force at the passing of this Act—