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Emergency (Defence Force) (COVID-19) Act 2020

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

EMERGENCY (DEFENCE FORCE) (COVID-19) ACT 2020

No. 1 of 2020
Certified on: 09 APR 2020

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.

1. Interpretation.

"Commander"
"Emergency Controller"
"National Emergency"

2. Application.
3. Use of Defence Force during National Emergency.
4. Command

AN ACT

entitled

Emergency (Defence Force) (COVID-19) Act 2020,

Being an emergency law as authorised by Part X (Emergency Powers) of the Constitution to make provision, in compliance with Section 202(c)(iii) (Functions of the Defence Force) of the Constitution, for the Defence Force to provide assistance to the civilian authorities during the National Emergency declared on 23 March 2020 for the whole area of Papua New Guinea, in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic,

MADE by the National Parliament.

1. INTERPRETATION.

(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears –

"Commander" means the Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force;
"Emergency Controller" means the person appointed as Emergency Controller under Section 4 of the Emergency (General Provisions) Regulation 2020, and further provided for under Section 4 (Functions of the Emergency Controller) of the Emergency (General Provisions) (COVID 19) Act 2020;
"National Emergency" means the National Emergency declared on 23 March 2020 in respect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(2) Unless the contrary intention appears, the provisions of the Interpretation Act (Chapter 2) applies to this Act.

2. APPLICATION.

This Act applies within the area of Papua New Guinea, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary.

3. USE OF DEFENCE FORCE DURING NATIONAL EMERGENCY.

The Defence Force or part of the Defence Force must assist the Emergency Controller, as and when requested, during the National Emergency.

4. COMMAND.

(1) For the purpose of rendering assistance under Subsection (2), the Defence Force or a part of the Defence Force must be responsive to the orders and directions of the Emergency Controller, which, insofar as is practicable, must be given to the person designated by the Commander for that purpose.

(2) For the purposes of any constitutional law or any other law, an order or direction given in pursuance to this Act by the Emergency Controller to a member of the Defence Force assisting under Section 3, is a lawful order.

I hereby certify that the above is a fair print of the Emergency (Defence Force) (COVID-19) Act 2020 which has been made by the National Parliament.

Acting Clerk of the National Parliament
09 APR 2020

I hereby certify that the Emergency (Defence Force) (COVID-19) Act 2020 was made by the National Parliament on 2 April 2020.

Speaker of the National Parliament
09 APR 2020