AUSTRALIAN FILM COMMISSION

AMENDMENT ACT 1976

No. 107 of 1976

An Act to amend the Australian Film Commission Act 1975.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows: —

Short title, &c.

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Australian Film Commission Amendment Act 1976.

(2) The Australian Film Commission Act 1975 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Interpretation.

3. Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from the definition of “Australian film” in sub-section (1) the word “film” (twice occurring) and substituting the word “program”;

(b) by omitting paragraph (b) of the definition of “Australian short film” in sub-section (1) and substituting the following paragraph: —

“(b) any other short film—

(i) that is an Australian program; and

(ii) not less than 80 per centum of the content of which in terms of duration has been made specifically for that film, ”;

(c) by inserting after the definition of “authorized person” in sub-section (1) the following definition:—

“‘broadcast’ means to transmit by way of television or radio;”;

(d) by omitting from sub-section (1) the definition of “film” and substituting the following definition:—

“‘film’ means an aggregate of images, or of images and sounds, embodied in any material;”;

(e) by omitting from the definition of “general activities” in sub-section (1) the word “film-making”;

(f) by inserting after the definition of “member” in sub-section (1) the following definitions:—

“‘program’ means—

(a) a recording; or

(b) an aggregate of images or sounds, or of images and sounds, that is, or is intended to be, broadcast without first having been recorded;

“‘recording’ means—

(a) a film; or

(b) an aggregate of sounds embodied in any material;”;

(g) by omitting from sub-section (1) the definition of “producer”;

(h) by omitting from sub-section (1) the definition of “special film­making activities” and substituting the following definition:—

“‘special activities’, in relation to the Commission, means the making, or the commissioning of the making, of pro­grams referred to in sub-paragraph 5(1)(b)(i), (ii) or (iii).”;

(i) by inserting after sub-section (1) the following sub-sections: —

“(1a) A reference in this Act to the distribution of programs includes a reference to the presentation of programs.

“(1b) A reference in this Act to the making of programs includes a reference to the compilation or preparation of programs.

“(1c) Where a word has a particular meaning in this Act, other parts of speech and grammatical forms of that word have corresponding meanings.”; and

(j) by omitting from sub-section (2) the word “film” (wherever occurring) and substituting the word “program”.

Functions of Commission.

4. Section 5 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting sub-section (1) and substituting the following sub-sections:—

“(1) The functions of the Commission are—

(a) to encourage, whether by the provision of financial assistance or otherwise, the making, promotion, distribution and broadcasting of Australian programs;

(b) subject to the approval of the Minister, to make, promote and distribute any programs and, in particular—

(i) programs that serve the purposes of a Department of State or an authority of the Commonwealth;

(ii) programs that deal with matters of national interest to Australia; and

(iii) programs that are designed to illustrate or interpret aspects of Australia or of the life and activities of the Australian people;

(c) subject to the approval of the Minister, to provide financial as­sistance to a State or an authority of a State for the purchase by it of—

(i) Australian programs that are of an educational nature and of national interest or importance; and

(ii) rights in respect of any such programs; and

(d) to encourage, whether by the provision of financial assistance or otherwise, the proper keeping of recordings in archives in Australia.

“(1a) In the performance of its functions, the Commission shall give special attention to the encouragement of—

(a) the making of experimental programs and programs of a high degree of creativeness; and

(b) the making and appreciation of Australian programs and other programs as an art form.”.

Powers of Commission.

5. Section 6 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from paragraph (a) of sub-section (1) the words “made to producers of Australian films”;

(b) by omitting paragraph (b) of sub-section (1) and substituting the following paragraph: —

“(b) to provide financial assistance to persons concerned with the making, promotion, distribution or broadcasting of Australian programs under arrangements that entitle the Commission to receive a share of the proceeds derived from the sale, hire, distribution or broadcasting of the programs; ”;

(c) by omitting from paragraph (c) of sub-section (1) the word “films” and substituting the word “programs”;

(d) by omitting paragraph (e) of sub-section (1) and substituting the following paragraph:—

“(e) to act as trustee of moneys, recordings or other property vested in the Commission upon trust, or to act on behalf of the Commonwealth or an authority of the Commonwealth in the administration of a trust relating to programs or to matters connected with programs; ”; and

(e) by omitting from sub-section (3) the word “films” and substituting the word “recordings”.

6. Section 14 of the Principal Act is repealed and the following section substituted:—

Delegation by Commission.

“14. (1) Subject to any direction of the Minister, the Commission may, either generally or as otherwise provided by the instrument of delegation, by writing under its common seal, delegate to a member of the Commission or to a member of the staff of the Commission any of its powers under this Act, other than this power of delegation.

“(2) A power so delegated, when exercised by the delegate, shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have been exercised by the Commission.

“(3) A delegation under this section does not prevent the exercise of a power by the Commission.”.

Additional amendments.

7. The Principal Act is amended as set out in the Schedule.

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