Crimes (Currency) Act 1981

The Crimes (Currency) Act 1981 is an Australian law that makes provision for offences connected with the counterfeiting of money or certain kinds of securities and other activities injurious to Australian currency. The Act extends to every external Territory and has provisions for the making, uttering, buying, selling, and possessing of counterfeit money or securities.

The Act defines counterfeit money as any article resembling or passing as a genuine coin or paper money, or an altered article that is intended to be or appears to be such. Counterfeit prescribed security means any article resembling or passing as a prescribed security, or an altered article that is intended to be or appears to be such.

Offences under the Act include making counterfeit money or securities (section 6), uttering counterfeit money or securities (section 7), buying or selling non-excepted counterfeit money or securities (section 8), possessing counterfeit money or securities (section 9), importing or exporting counterfeit money or securities (section 10), using instruments and materials for counterfeiting (section 11), conveying instruments or materials from premises (section 13), providing information about counterfeit money or securities (section 14), and possessing filings, clippings etc. (section 15).

The Act also provides for the sale of defaced coins or paper money (section 17) and the possession of such coins or paper money (section 18). It is an offence to make, utter, buy, sell, possess, import or export counterfeit money or securities, or use instruments and materials for counterfeiting.

The Act has penalties ranging from imprisonment for up to 12 years to fines of up to $600,000.