TAS Fines for Not Reporting Big Changes and New Powers to Collect Interstate Fines

Monetary Penalties Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026

20 Aug 2026: This bill has passed its first house and is now before the second house for its own debate.

House of Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

court procedures criminal justice criminal penalties fine enforcement government accountability government oversight interstate fines monetary penalties

Introduced by: The Hon Guy Barnett MP (LIB)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

People subject to section 86 must notify the Director of significant changes within 14 days; failure to do so carries a fine of up to 15 penalty units (2026: $3,195).
Fines of up to 20 penalty units (2026: $4,260) apply to anyone who obstructs an enforcement officer.
Authorised deposit-taking institutions must pay any money they have deducted to the relevant authority.
The Director can decide a fine is uncollectable if they are satisfied the money cannot be recovered.
The Director can use an information system to make decisions. These system-generated decisions count as decisions made by the Director.
The Director can enforce fines from other states if they believe the person who owes the money has a connection to Tasmania.
The Director can make an interstate fine enforcement order without telling the person who owes the money first.
The Director can change or cancel an interstate fine enforcement order.
The Director must prepare an annual report on the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Service.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Guy Barnett LIB

“Honourable Speaker, I move - That the bill be now read the second time. The Monetary Penalties Enforcement Act commenced operation in April 2008 and introduced a new way of collecting and enforcing the payment of fines, infringement notices, compensation and pecuniary penalty orders in Tasmania.”

Official source →

Shane Broad ALP

“Thank you, Speaker. I rise to give comment on the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026. First of all, I would just like to thank Wayne Johnson, Bruce Paterson, and Evie Melrose for their briefings. I had a briefing a while ago on the bill and then I’ve had a recent briefing, specifically on the amendments. What is the purpose of the bill?”

Official source →

Vica Bayley GRN

“Honourable Speaker, in the few minutes that I have left before the lunchbreak, I rise to start a contribution on the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026 and indicate upfront that we will support the bill and we will also support the amendments that will be moved by the minister.”

Official source →

Helen Burnet IND

“I rise to speak on the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026. Firstly, I’d like to thank those people who provided submissions, for those people who might’ve provided submissions that looked in detail at this bill and highlighted some of those problems we have before us today.”

Official source →

Marcus Vermey LIB

“Honourable Speaker, I rise to support the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026. I acknowledge Dr Broad, Mr Bayley for his concerns about the administration of these monetary penalties to sovereign citizens, Ms Burnet for her contributions and Mr Di Falco. The heart of this bill is about accountability, fairness and respect for the rule of law.”

Official source →

Mark Shelton LIB

“Honourable Speaker, it’s my pleasure to rise this afternoon to support the AttorneyGeneral in this bill and to reinforce some of the main points in the bill and in the second reading speech, and of my colleague who has just presented, as well as most other people in the Chamber, who have been through similar points. This bill deals with the way Tasmania manages monetary penalties.”

Official source →