AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Law Officer Act 1992
No. 54 of 1992
	
An Act relating to the functions and powers of the Attorney-General and for related purposes
	[Notified in ACT Gazette S162:  25 September 1992]
	The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as follows:
Short title
1.  This Act may be cited as the Law Officer Act 1992.
Interpretation
2.  In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to the Attorney-General shall be read as a reference to—
	(a)	the Minister designated Attorney-General by the Chief Minister; or
	(b)	where no Minister is so designated, the Minister for the time being administering this Act;
and, where another Minister is authorised by the Chief Minister to act on behalf of that Minister, shall be read as including a reference to that other Minister.
Position of Attorney-General
3.  The Attorney-General is the first law officer of the Territory.
Functions
4.  (1)  The functions of the Attorney-General are—
	(a)	to be the chief legal representative of—
	(i)	the Crown in right of the Territory; and
	(ii)	the Territory;
	(b)	to be the principal legal adviser to the Territory;
	(c)	to have responsibility for the administration of law and justice in the Territory;
	(d)	to institute and conduct litigation on behalf of—
	(i)	the Crown in right of the Territory;
	(ii)	the Territory;
	(iii)	a Minister; or
	(iv)	a person suing or being sued on behalf of the Territory;
	(e)	functions that are conferred on the Attorney-General by another Act; and
	(f)	such other functions as are prescribed.
(2)  The Attorney-General has the power to do all things necessary or convenient to be done in connection with the performance of his or her functions.
Additional powers of the Attorney-General
5.  Subject to any other law of the Territory, the Attorney-General has, in relation to the Territory, the traditional powers, duties, prerogatives and privileges of the Attorneys-General of the States.
Amendment of Audit Act 1989
6.  Section 23 of the Audit Act 1989 is amended by omitting “Chief Minister” (twice occurring) and substituting “Attorney-General”.
Amendment of Legal Practitioners Act 1970
7.  Section 6B of the Legal Practitioners Act 1970 is amended—
	(a)	by omitting from subsection (1) “and of the Solicitor-General”; and
	(b)	by omitting from subsection (1) “for the Commonwealth or” (twice occurring).
Regulations
8.  The Executive 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.
[Presentation speech made in Assembly on 13 August 1992]

© Australian Capital Territory 1992