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CONFISCATION ACT 1997

Table of Provisions

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

  • 1 Purposes  
  • 2 Commencement  
  • 3 Definitions  
  • 3A Objects  
  • 4 Meaning of conviction  
  • 5 Meaning of absconds  
  • 6 Meaning of setting aside a conviction  
  • 7 Meaning of charged with an offence  
  • 7A Meaning of derived property—civil forfeiture  
  • 7B Meaning of derived property—other cases  
  • 7C Meaning of serious criminal activity  
  • 8 Related offences  
  • 9 Effective control of property  
  • 10 Property in which the accused has an interest  
  • 11 Meaning of dealing with property  
  • 12 Jurisdiction  
  • 13 Act to bind Crown  

PART 2--RESTRAINING ORDERS OTHER THAN CIVIL FORFEITURE RESTRAINING ORDERS AND UNEXPLAINED WEALTH RESTRAINING ORDERS

  • 14 Restraining orders  
  • 15 Purposes for which a restraining order may be made  
  • 15A Property may be subject to both restraining order and other orders  
  • 16 Application for restraining order  
  • 17 Procedure on application  
  • 18 Determination of application  
  • 19 Notice of restraining order to be given to persons affected  
  • 19A Notice requiring declaration of property interests  
  • 19B What must be included in a declaration of property interests?  
  • 19C Offences  
  • 19D Court directions to provide information  
  • 19E Admissibility of statement  
  • 20 Application for exclusion from restraining order  
  • 21 Determination of exclusion application—restraining order—Schedule 1 offence  
  • 22 Determination of exclusion application—restraining order in relation to Schedule 2 offence  
  • 22A Determination of exclusion application—serious drug offence restraining order  
  • 23 Declaration that restraining order shall be disregarded for purposes of automatic forfeiture  
  • 24 Protected property not to be included in serious drug offence restraining order  
  • 26 Further orders  
  • 27 Duration and setting aside of restraining order  
  • 27A Property subject to multiple restraining orders  
  • 28 Registration of restraining order  
  • 28A No mortgage, charge or encumbrance to be registered on land subject to restraining order  
  • 29 Contravention of restraining order  
  • 30 Priority given to payment of restitution or compensation  
  • 31 State to pay restitution and compensation out of forfeited property etc.  

PART 2A--FREEZING ORDERS

  • 31A Definition  
  • 31B Chief Commissioner of Police may authorise police to apply for freezing orders  
  • 31C Freezing order  
  • 31D Application for freezing order  
  • 31E Application may be made by telephone or other electronic communication  
  • 31F Making of freezing order  
  • 31G Notice of freezing order  
  • 31H When does a freezing order take effect?  
  • 31I Extension of freezing orders  
  • 31J Report to Magistrates' Court on freezing order  
  • 31K Failure to comply with freezing order  
  • 31L Offence to disclose existence of freezing order  
  • 31M Freezing order to be disregarded for certain purposes  

PART 3--FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY

Division 1--Forfeiture on court order

Division 1A--Tainted property substitution declaration--forfeiture order

Division 2--Automatic forfeiture after conviction

Division 3--Tainted property substitution declaration--automatic forfeiture

  • 36A Interpretation  
  • 36B Application for tainted property substitution declaration  
  • 36C Notice of application  
  • 36D Right to appear and give evidence  
  • 36E Hearing of application  
  • 36F Determination of application  
  • 36G Deemed withdrawal of application  

Division 4--Automatic forfeiture of property of serious drug offender

PART 4--CIVIL FORFEITURE REGIME

Division 1--Civil forfeiture restraining orders

Division 2--Civil forfeiture orders

Division 3--Orders for exclusion from civil forfeiture orders

PART 4A--UNEXPLAINED WEALTH

Division 1--Unexplained wealth restraining orders

Division 2--Forfeiture of unexplained wealth

PART 5--EFFECT OF FORFEITURE

PART 6--EXCLUSION ORDERS

PART 7--RETURN OF PROPERTY

PART 8--PECUNIARY PENALTY ORDERS

Division 1--Pecuniary penalty orders following conviction

Division 3--General

PART 9--POWERS OF TRUSTEE

PART 10--DISPOSAL ORDERS

PART 10A--PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

  • 78A Memorandum of understanding  
  • 78B Certificate of responsibility and power  

PART 11--SEARCH WARRANTS

  • 79 Search warrants  
  • 79A Seizure warrants—public places  
  • 80 Application for warrant  
  • 80A Warrant may authorise the giving of a direction requiring assistance from person with certain knowledge  
  • 80B Power to require assistance from person with certain knowledge  
  • 80C Offence to fail to comply with order requiring assistance  
  • 81 Warrant may be granted by telephone  
  • 82 Record of proceedings for warrant  
  • 83 Notice to occupier of premises entered under search warrant  
  • 84 Duty to show search warrant  
  • 84A Duty to show seizure warrant  
  • 85 Use of force  
  • 86 Use of assistants to execute warrant  
  • 87 Application of Magistrates' Court Act 1989  
  • 88 Expiry of warrant  
  • 88A Notice of execution of seizure warrant  
  • 89 Report on execution of warrant etc.  
  • 90 Absence etc. of magistrate or judge who issued warrant  
  • 91 Defects in warrants  
  • 92 Seizure of property under search warrant  
  • 92A Seizure of digital asset under search warrant  
  • 93 Embargo notice  
  • 94 Search of persons under search warrant  
  • 95 Obstruction or hindrance of person executing search warrant  
  • 95A Application for property seized under search warrants under other Acts to be held or retained under this Act  
  • 95B What must be in the application?  
  • 95C Court may make declaration  
  • 95D Notice of declaration  
  • 95E Effect of declaration  
  • 96 Disposal of livestock or perishable property  
  • 97 Return of seized property  

PART 11A--PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WARRANTS

Division 1--Search and inspection warrants

  • 97A Application for search and inspection warrant  
  • 97B Search and inspection warrant  
  • 97C Record of proceedings for search and inspection warrant  
  • 97D Announcement before entry  
  • 97E Copy of search and inspection warrant to be given to occupier  
  • 97F Use of assistants to execute search and inspection warrant  
  • 97G Application of Magistrates' Court Act 1989  
  • 97H Expiry of search and inspection warrant  
  • 97I Report on execution of warrant etc.  
  • 97J Copy of inventory to be given  
  • 97K Defects in search and inspection warrant  
  • 97L Obstruction or hindrance of person executing search and inspection warrant  

Division 2--Search and seizure warrants

  • 97M Application for search and seizure warrant  
  • 97N Search and seizure warrant  
  • 97O Record of proceedings for search and seizure warrant  
  • 97P Announcement before entry  
  • 97Q Copy of search and seizure warrant to be given to occupier  
  • 97R Use of assistants to execute search and seizure warrant  
  • 97S Application of Magistrates' Court Act 1989  
  • 97T Expiry of search and seizure warrant  
  • 97U Report on execution of search and seizure warrant etc.  
  • 97V Defects in search and seizure warrant  
  • 97W Obstruction or hindrance of person executing search and seizure warrant  

PART 12--EXAMINATION ORDERS

PART 13--INFORMATION GATHERING POWERS

Division 1--Production orders

Division 2--Search powers

Division 3--Monitoring orders

Division 3A--Information notices

Division 3B--Credit information

  • 118N Access to and use of information held by credit reporting bodies  

Division 4--Reports of suspect transactions

  • 119 Reports of suspect transactions  

Division 4A--Sharing of information

  • 119A Communication of information between law enforcement agencies  

Division 5--Interstate offences

  • 120 Ministerial arrangements for transmission of documents or information  

Division 6--Document requests

PART 15--INTERSTATE ORDERS AND WARRANTS

PART 16--MISCELLANEOUS

  • 132 Standard of proof  
  • 133 Nature of proceedings  
  • 133A Costs  
  • 134 Crime Prevention and Victims' Aid Fund  
  • 134A Payment of money realised into Consolidated Fund  
  • 134B Payment to other jurisdictions under equitable sharing program  
  • 135 Conversion costs  
  • 136 Stamp duty not payable  
  • 137 Service of documents  
  • 138 Maximum fine for body corporate  
  • 139 Law enforcement agency to provide information to Minister  
  • 139A Reports to the Minister  
  • 140 Secrecy  
  • 141 Court may hear applications at same time  
  • 141A Arrangements to avoid operation of Act  
  • 142 Appeals  
  • 143 Provision of legal aid  
  • 143A Delegation  
  • 144 Operation of other laws not affected  
  • 144A Validation  
  • 145 Supreme Court—limitation of jurisdiction  
  • 146 Regulations  
  • 147 Rules of court  

PART 18--CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

  • 157 Transitional provisions—Enactment of Confiscation Act 1997  
  • 158 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—definition of tainted property transitional provision  
  • 159 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—declaration of property interests transitional provision  
  • 160 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—freezing orders transitional provision  
  • 161 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—tainted property substitution declaration transitional provisions  
  • 162 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—disposal orders transitional provision  
  • 163 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—property seized under other Acts transitional provision  
  • 164 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—examination orders transitional provision  
  • 165 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—document requests transitional provisions  
  • 166 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—Schedule 1 offences transitional provisions  
  • 167 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—Schedule 2—drug trafficking offences transitional provisions  
  • 168 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—Schedule 2 offences transitional provisions  
  • 169 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—Schedule 2—money laundering transitional provisions  
  • 170 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—Schedule 2—attempts transitional provisions  
  • 171 Confiscation (Amendment) Act 2003—Schedule 2—common law offences transitional provisions  
  • 172 Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984  
  • 173 Transitional—Crimes (Money Laundering) Act 2003  
  • 174 Transitional—Major Crime Legislation (Seizure of Assets) Act 2004  
  • 175 Transitional—Justice Legislation (Further Amendment) Act 2006  
  • 176 Validation of certain exclusion orders—Confiscation Amendment Act 2007  
  • 177 Existing applications for exclusion orders—Confiscation Amendment Act 2007  
  • 178 Sufficient consideration—Confiscation Amendment Act 2007  
  • 179 Transitional—Confiscation Amendment Act 2010  
  • 180 Regulations dealing with transitional matters  
  • 181 Confiscation Amendment Act 2010—proceedings for civil forfeiture generally  
  • 182 Confiscation Amendment Act 2010—tainted property and derived property  
  • 183 Confiscation Amendment Act 2010—freezing orders  
  • 184 Transitional provisions for Confiscation Amendment Act 2010 do not derogate from Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984  
  • 185 Sex Work and Other Acts Amendment Act 2011—Schedule 1 offences transitional provision  
  • 186 Sex Work and Other Acts Amendment Act 2011—Schedule 2 offences transitional provision  
  • 187 Transitional—Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Act 2011  
  • 188 Transitional—Criminal Organisations Control and Other Acts Amendment Act 2014  
  • 189 Transitional—Justice Legislation Amendment (Confiscation and Other Matters) Act 2014  
  • 190 Transitional—Confiscation and Other Matters Amendment Act 2016  
  • 191 Transitional provision—Crimes Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2016  
  • 192 Transitional—Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2019  
  • 193 Further transitional—Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2019  
  • 194 Transitional provision—Major Crime and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Act 2022  

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