Penalty Units

Penalty units (PUs) serve as the basis for calculating monetary fines for various law violations. The amount payable as a fine is determined by multiplying the value of the penalty unit by the number of penalty units assigned to the offense. Each Australian jurisdiction, including the Commonwealth, sets its own PU value, with differences in the frequency and manner in which the value is established. PUs provide an efficient way for lawmakers to adjust fine amounts to reflect inflation or changes in public policy without having to modify individual laws for every fine. This saves administrative expenses associated with constantly updating fine values in legislation. Even in states where the penalty unit value is legislated, a single amendment is all that’s required to adjust the value.

South Australia

Unlike other Australian jurisdictions, South Australia uses dollar values instead of penalty units to set fines in its legislation. Each law sets a specific dollar amount for the maximum applicable fine.

New South Wales Penalty Units

The Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, section 17 sets the value of a penalty unit in New South Wales. Unlike other states, the maximum penalties for common law or indictment offences are not specified in individual laws but are “at large.” However, case law indicates that a fine cannot be excessive given the circumstances, as in the case of Smith v The Queen (1991) 25 NSWLR 1. Any changes to the value of the PU in NSW require an amendment to the Act by Parliament.

Victoria Penalty Units

The Department of Treasury and Finance in Victoria is responsible for updating the value of a penalty unit annually on 1 July, according to the Monetary Units Act 2004. The Treasurer sets the rate for the upcoming financial year before March, and if not, the previous year’s rate applies. The rate must be published in the Government Gazette and major newspapers.

Queensland

The Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 outlines the method used to calculate penalty units in Queensland. Annually, their value is raised by 3.5% unless the Treasurer selects a different amount before March 1st. When computing the total fine owed, the amount is rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount for offences enforced through a prescribed infringement notice (PIN). For other offences, if the amount does not amount to a multiple of 5 cents, it must be rounded to the nearest 5 cent increment.

Tasmania

The calculation of PUs in Tasmania is governed by the Penalty Units and Other Penalties Act 1987. The value is adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If the CPI calculation results in a decrease in the value of a penalty unit, the value will remain the same. The adjustment, and any increase in value, is published in the Gazette before 1 June each year. When determining the amount of a fine, any amount in dollars and cents will be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar.

Western Australia

The system in Western Australia is different from the rest of Australia. The state determines the rates for PUs based on the specific legislation under which the offence is committed, such as the Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008 for road offences. If there is a need to change the value of a penalty unit, the WA Parliament has to amend each Act in which a penalty unit is defined.

Northern Territory

The Penalty Units Act is the legislation that governs the value of a PU in the Northern Territory. The value is recalculated each financial year according to the CPI. If the new amount includes cents, it is rounded down to the nearest whole dollar.

Australian Capital Territory

In the ACT, penalty units are governed by the Legislation Act 2001.

The value is reviewed by the Attorney-General at least once every four years.

Commonwealth

The Commonwealth employs penalty units in cases where an individual or corporation has violated a Commonwealth law and is penalized with a fine. As per the Crimes Act 1914, the PU value is updated automatically every three years in proportion to the inflation rate.

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