The National Rural Health Commissioner's functions are:

  (a)   to provide advice to the Rural Health Minister about matters relating to health in rural, regional and remote areas; and

  (b)   to undertake specified projects about those matters; and

  (c)   to inquire into and report on specified aspects of those matters; and

  (d)   to support the implementation of Commonwealth strategies, priorities and measures about those matters; and

  (e)   to undertake research, and to collect, analyse, interpret and share information, about approaches to those matters; and

  (f)   to consult with a broad range of rural, regional and remote stakeholders about those matters; and

  (g)   to build and maintain effective working relationships with those stakeholders; and

  (h)   to perform functions conferred on the Commissioner by a Commonwealth law about those matters.

The Commissioner must perform those functions in an independent and impartial manner.

The Rural Health Minister must cause an independent review of the operation of this Part to be conducted within 6 months of the fifth anniversary of the commencement of this Part.