Part 7
-
Miscellaneous
SECTION 49
OFFENCES
49(1)
A person must not contravene subsection
48(1)
.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 12 months.
History
S 49(1) amended by No 47 of 2006, s 3 and Sch 2 item 11, by substituting
"
subsection 48(1)
"
for
"
section 48
"
, effective 22 May 2006.
S 49(1) amended by No 147 of 2001, s 3 and Sch 2 item 6, by omitting
"
, without reasonable excuse,
"
after
"
A person must not
"
, applicable to acts and omissions that take place after 1 October 2001. If an act or omission is alleged to have taken place between 2 dates, one before and one on or after 1 October 2001, the act or omission is alleged to have taken place before 1 October 2001.
S 49(1) substituted by No 137 of 2000, s 3 and Sch 2 item 380, effective 24 May 2001.
Act No 137 of 2000 contained the following transitional provisions, effective 24 May 2001:
418 Transitional
-
pre-commencement offences
418(1)
Despite the amendment or repeal of a provision, that provision continues to apply, after the commencement of this item, in relation to:
(a)
an offence committed before the commencement of this item; or
(b)
proceedings for an offence alleged to have been committed before the commencement of this item; or
(c)
any matter connected with, or arising out of, such proceedings;
as if the amendment or repeal had not been made.
418(2)
Subitem (1) does not limit the operation of section 8 of the
Acts Interpretation Act 1901
.
419 Transitional
-
pre-commencement notices
419
If:
(a)
a provision in force immediately before the commencement of this item required that a notice set out the effect of one or more other provisions; and
(b)
any or all of those other provisions are repealed; and
(c)
the first-mentioned provision is amended;
the amendment of the first-mentioned provision does not affect the validity of such a notice that was given before the commencement of this item.
S 49(1) formerly read:
49(1)
A person shall not:
(a)
knowingly or recklessly make, whether orally or in writing, a false or misleading statement:
(i)
in connection with an application or claim, whether made on behalf of that person or of any other person;
(ii)
to deceive an officer or employee of the Department in the performance of the officer's or employee's functions or duties under, or in relation to, this Act or the regulations; or
(iii)
to affect the rate of a benefit referred to in paragraph (a) of the definition of
student assistance benefit
; or
(iv)
to affect the amount of financial supplement that may be paid to the person under Part
4A
;
(b)
knowingly obtain payment of an amount under this Act, or a current special educational assistance scheme, that is not payable (whether in whole or part); or
(c)
obtain payment of an amount under this Act, or a current educational assistance scheme, by means of a false or misleading statement that is knowingly or recklessly made or by means of impersonation or fraud; or
(d)
knowingly or recklessly make or present to an officer or employee of the Department a statement or document that is false or misleading in a material particular; or
(e)
without reasonable excuse, contravene section
48
.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 year.
49(1A)
Subsection (1) does not apply if the person has a reasonable excuse.
Note:
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (1A) (see subsection
13.3(3)
of the
Criminal Code
).
History
S 49(1A) inserted by No 147 of 2001, s 3 and Sch 2 item 7, applicable to acts and omissions that take place after 1 October 2001. If an act or omission is alleged to have taken place between 2 dates, one before and one on or after 1 October 2001, the act or omission is alleged to have taken place before 1 October 2001.
49(2)
Where a person is convicted of an offence against subsection (1) of this section or an offence against section
135.2
,
136.1
,
137.1
or
137.2
of the
Criminal Code
that relates to this Act, the court may, in addition to imposing a penalty, order the person to pay to the Commonwealth an amount equal to any amount paid under this Act, or a current special educational assistance scheme, as a result of the act, failure or omission in respect of which the person was convicted.
History
S 49(2) amended by No 137 of 2000, s 3 and Sch 2 item 381, by inserting ``of this section or an offence against section 135.2, 136.1, 137.1 or 137.2 of the
Criminal Code
that relates to this Act'' after ``subsection (1)'', effective 24 May 2001. For transitional provisions see note under s 49(1).
49(3)
For the purposes of subsection (2), a certificate by the Secretary stating that a specified amount is the amount paid to a specified person under this Act, or a current special educational assistance scheme, as a result of a specified act, failure or omission is
prima facie
evidence of the matters stated in the certificate.
49(4)
A reference in this section to payment of an amount under this Act or to an amount paid under this Act includes a reference to payment of an amount or to an amount paid, as the case may be, under a financial supplement contract.
History
S 49 amended by No 45 of 1998; No 183 of 1994 and No 138 of 1992.