Section 234 — Social Security (Administration) Act 1999: Delegation

(1) Subject to subsection (3), the Secretary may, in writing, delegate to an officer all or any of the powers of the Secretary under the social security law. (2) Subject to subsection (3), the Secretary may, in writing, delegate to the Chief Executive Centrelink or a Departmental employee (within the meaning of the Human Services (Centrelink) Act 1997) all or any of the powers of the Secretary under the social security law. (3) The Secretary cannot delegate to anyone except the Chief Executive Centrelink the Secretary’s power under subsection 208(1) to disclose information to a person referred to in subparagraph 208(1)(b)(i). (4) If the Secretary delegates to the Chief Executive Centrelink the Secretary’s power under subsection 208(1) to disclose information to a person referred to in subparagraph 208(1)(b)(i), the Chief Executive Centrelink cannot, in spite of any provision to the contrary in the Human Services (Centrelink) Act 1997, delegate the power to a Departmental employee (within the meaning of the Human Services (Centrelink) Act 1997). (7) Without limiting the operation of the definition of officer in subsection 23(1) of the 1991 Act, in this section officer includes a person engaged (whether as an employee or otherwise) by: (a) an Agency (within the meaning of the Public Service Act 1999); or (b) another authority of the Commonwealth; or (c) an organisation that performs services for the Commonwealth; but does not include the Chief Executive Centrelink or a Departmental employee (within the meaning of the Human Services (Centrelink) Act 1997).