Important notice - Increase in value of penalty units January 2013

Important notice for printed and electronic information and publications provided by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

The ACCC is reviewing this website and its publications to reflect the increase in the value of penalty units.

Increase in the value of penalty units

Several of the penalties administered by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) are calculated using penalty units rather than dollar figures. On 28 December 2012 the value of a penalty unit increased from $110 to $170.

The implications of this legislative change are that, in relation to penalties calculated using penalty units:

• administrative penalties (in the case of the ACCC, infringement penalty notices) will be increased
• maximum available penalties for some court-imposed fines will also rise.

The new penalty unit value will only apply to contraventions that occur on or after 28 December 2012. This means that the changes will not impact on contraventions that occur before 28 December 2012, or current proceedings for contraventions that took place before that date.

The penalty unit value has not been adjusted since 1997. Under the new legislation, the value of the penalty unit will be reviewed every three years.