Queensland Consolidated Acts

NATIONAL GAS (QUEENSLAND) LAW - SECT 279

279 Infringement penalties

(1) In this section—

"tier 1 civil penalty provision" means a provision with a civil penalty determined under section 3A (1) (c) ;

"tier 2 civil penalty provision" means a provision with a civil penalty determined under section 3A (1) (b) ;

"tier 3 civil penalty provision" means a provision with a civil penalty determined under section 3A (1) (a) .

(2) The infringement penalty for a breach of a civil penalty provision is—

(a) in the case of a tier 3 civil penalty provision—

(i) if the breach is alleged to have been committed by a natural person—$6 790 or any lesser amount that is prescribed by the Regulations in relation to the civil penalty provision;

(ii) if the breach is alleged to have been committed by a body corporate—

(A) if the AER makes a determination under subsection (3) —$6 790 or any lesser amount that is prescribed by the Regulations in relation to the civil penalty provision; or

(B) in any other case—$33 900 or any lesser amount that is prescribed by the Regulations in relation to the civil penalty provision;

(b) in the case of a tier 2 or tier 1 civil penalty provision—

(i) if the breach is alleged to have been committed by a natural person—$13 600 or any lesser amount that is prescribed by the Regulations in relation to the civil penalty provision;

(ii) if the breach is alleged to have been committed by a body corporate—$67 800 or any lesser amount that is prescribed by the Regulations in relation to the civil penalty provision.

(3) In the case of a body corporate that is not a listed corporation or a body corporate that is subject to the infringement penalty by virtue only of being a related body corporate, the AER may, in a particular case, determine that the infringement penalty to be included in an infringement notice to be issued to the body corporate in relation to an alleged breach of a tier 3 civil penalty provision will be the amount applying under subsection (2) (a) (ii) (A) if the AER considers this to be an appropriate course of action after taking into account—

(a) the nature of the alleged breach; and

(b) the degree of financial impact on the body corporate if the higher infringement penalty under subsection (2) (a) (ii) (B) were to be imposed; and

(c) the extent to which the imposition of the higher infringement penalty would appear to be excessive in the circumstances; and

(d) any other matter considered relevant by the AER.

Note—

See Schedule 2 clause 47A, which provides for the amounts specified in this section to be adjusted every 3 years to reflect movements in the consumer price index. The adjusted amounts are published on the AER’s website.