(1) The Governor - General may, by Commission under the Seal of Australia, appoint one or more persons to act in the office of Administrator and to administer the government of the Territory during any vacancy in the office of Administrator or whenever the Administrator is absent from duty or from the Territory or is, for any other reason, unable to exercise and perform the powers and functions of his or her office.
(2) An appointment of a person under subsection (1) may be expressed to have effect only in such circumstances as are specified in the instrument of appointment.
(4) An Acting Administrator administering the government of the Territory has, and may exercise and perform, all the powers and functions of the Administrator.
(5) The exercise or performance by an Acting Administrator of the powers or functions of the Administrator during the absence of the Administrator from the Territory does not prevent the exercise or performance by the Administrator of any of those powers or functions.
(6) The appointment of an Acting Administrator, and any act done by a person purporting to act under this section, shall not be called in question by reason of any defect or irregularity in or in connexion with his or her appointment or on the ground that the occasion for his or her so acting had not arisen or had ceased.