Anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing law update
Recent amendments to Australia's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws have expanded Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) reporting obligations from 1 July 2026.
Newly regulated sectors include:
- Accountants
- Lawyers
- Real estate professionals
- Conveyancers
- Dealer in previous stones, metals and products
- Trust and company services providers.
Key obligations include enrolment with AUSTRAC, consideration of money laundering or terrorism financing risks, performing customer due diligence, reporting to AUSTRAC and maintaining appropriate records.
Guidance is available on the AUSTRACExternal Link website and is designed to be a central reference point for all reporting entities.
EducationExternal Link resources can also be accessed.
Recently announced foreign investment reforms
The government announced a second tranche of foreign investment framework reforms in the 2026–27 Budget, building on the 2024 reforms to policy and practice. Unlike the 2024 reforms, the current reform package will involve legislative amendments, including changes to the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975.
- Treasury pointed to the Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP Treasurer’s announcement, Further streamlining and strengthening the foreign investment frameworkExternal Link
- and further information on the reforms streamlining and strengthening the foreign investment frameworkExternal Link on the Treasury website.
Treasury has commenced implementation work, noting the inherent complexity of the framework and the importance of stakeholder feedback. Before legislation is drafted, Treasury intends to undertake targeted consultation on specific reform elements.
Public consultation on legislative amendments is expected to occur through an exposure draft process. The scope and timing of consultation, the exposure draft and introduction of legislation to Parliament will be determined by government over the coming months.
Register of Foreign Ownership of Australian Assets – tailored support and registrations
We have made changes to enable earlier, and more direct access with specialists in the foreign investor and assets registrations team to assist in meeting register obligations.
The team is proactively engaging with regular intermediaries to offer support and assistance with:
- accessing Online services for foreign investors
- providing additional time to meet register obligations
- registering assets
- checking or adjusting asset registrations.
ATO foreign investment compliance update
In 2025–26, the ATO's foreign investment compliance program:
- completed over 300 audits of potential breaches of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975
- issued 160 infringement notices
- coordinated remediation of 208 breaches including divestment of 145 non-complying properties
- filed 2 cases in the Federal Court for failing to develop on vacant land.
In 2026–27, the ATO foreign investment compliance program will continue to focus on high-risk residential investments including:
- established dwellings held or acquired contrary to current foreign investment rules
- failure to meet development conditions or comply with vacancy fee obligations
- obscurement of beneficial ownership to circumvent foreign investment rules.