Corporations Act 2001
[ CCH Note: Pt 9.1A will be inserted by No 69 of 2020, s 3, Sch 2[11] (effective 22 June 2022 or a day or days to be fixed by Proclamation). Pt 9.1A will read:
PART 9.1A - DIRECTOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS
SECTION 1272 GIVING AND CANCELLING DIRECTOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS
1272(1)
The Registrar must, by notifying a person who has applied under section 1272A , give the person a director identification number if the Registrar is satisfied that the person ' s identity has been established.
1272(2)
The Registrar must make a record of the person ' s director identification number.
1272(3)
The Registrar may, by notifying a person, cancel the person ' s director identification number if:
(a) the Registrar is no longer satisfied that the person ' s identity has been established; or
(b) the Registrar has given the person another director identification number.
1272(4)
If:
(a) at the time the person is given a director identification number under this section, the person is not an eligible officer; and
(b) the person does not, within 12 months after that time, become an eligible officer;the person ' s director identification number is taken to have been cancelled at the end of the 12 month period.
SECTION 1272A APPLYING FOR A DIRECTOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
1272A(1)
An eligible officer may apply to the Registrar for a director identification number if the officer does not already have a director identification number.
1272A(2)
The Registrar may direct an eligible officer to apply to the Registrar for a director identification number (whether or not the officer already has a director identification number).
1272A(3)
A person who is not an eligible officer may apply to the Registrar for a director identification number if:
(a) the person intends to become an eligible officer within 12 months after applying; and
(b) the person does not already have a director identification number.
1272A(4)
An application for a director identification number must meet any requirements of the data standards.Note: A person may commit an offence if the person knowingly gives false or misleading information (see section 1308 of this Act and section 137.1 of the Criminal Code ).
SECTION 1272B ELIGIBLE OFFICERS
1272B(1)
An eligible officer is:
(a) a director of a company, or of a body corporate that is a registered Australian body or registered foreign company, who:
(i) is appointed to the position of a director; or
(ii) is appointed to the position of an alternate director and is acting in that capacity;regardless of the name that is given to that position; or
(b) any other officer of a company, or of a body corporate that is a registered Australian body or registered foreign company, who is an officer of a kind prescribed by the regulations;but does not include a person covered by a determination under subsection (2) or (3).
1272B(2)
The Registrar may determine that a particular person is not an eligible officer . The Registrar must notify the person of the determination.
1272B(3)
The Registrar may, by legislative instrument, determine that a class of persons are not eligible officers . SECTION 1272C REQUIREMENT TO HAVE A DIRECTOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
1272C(1)
An eligible officer must have a director identification number.
1272C(2)
Subsection (1) does not apply if:
(a) the officer applied to the Registrar under section 1272A for a director identification number:
(i) before the day the officer first became an eligible officer (or an eligible officer within the meaning of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 ); or
(ii) if the regulations specify an application period - within that period, starting at the start of that day; or
(iii) within the longer period (if any) the Registrar allows under section 1272E , starting at the start of that day; and
(b) the application, and any reviews arising out of it, have not been finally determined or otherwise disposed of.Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in subsection (2): see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .
1272C(3)
Subsection (1) does not apply if the officer became an eligible officer without the officer ' s knowledge.Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (3): see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .
1272C(4)
An offence based on subsection (1) is an offence of strict liability.Note: For strict liability , see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code .
1272C(5)
A person who contravenes, or is involved in a contravention of, subsection (1) contravenes this subsection.Note 1: Subsection (5) is a civil penalty provision (see section 1317E ).
Note 2: Section 79 defines involved .
SECTION 1272D REQUIREMENT TO APPLY FOR A DIRECTOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
1272D(1)
An eligible officer whom the Registrar has directed under subsection 1272A(2) to apply for a director identification number must apply to the Registrar under section 1272A for a director identification number:
(a) within the application period under subsection (2) of this section; or
(b) within such longer period as the Registrar allows under section 1272E .
1272D(2)
The application period is the period of:
(a) the number of days specified in the direction; or
(b) if the number of days is not specified in the direction - 28 days;after the day the Registrar gives the direction.
1272D(3)
An offence based on subsection (1) is an offence of strict liability.Note: For strict liability , see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code .
1272D(4)
A person who contravenes, or is involved in a contravention of, subsection (1) contravenes this subsection.Note 1: Subsection (3) is a civil penalty provision (see section 1317E ).
Note 2: Section 79 defines involved .
SECTION 1272E REGISTRAR MAY EXTEND APPLICATION PERIODS
1272E(1)
The Registrar may, on the application of an eligible officer, allow, as a longer period for applying to the Registrar under section 1272A for a director identification number:
(a) the period specified in the application; or
(b) such other period as the Registrar considers reasonable.Note: An application for an extension of the period for applying can be made, and the period can be extended, after the period has ended: see section 70 .
1272E(2)
The Registrar may, by legislative instrument, allow, for persons included in a specified class of persons, a longer period for applying to the Registrar under section 1272A for a director identification number. SECTION 1272F INFRINGEMENT NOTICES
1272F(1)
Subsections 1272C(1) and 1272D(1) are subject to an infringement notice under Part 5 of the Regulatory Powers Act.Note: Part 5 of the Regulatory Powers Act creates a framework for using infringement notices in relation to provisions.
Infringement officer
1272F(2)
For the purposes of Part 5 of the Regulatory Powers Act, each member of the staff of the Registrar who holds, or is acting in, an office or position that is equivalent to an SES employee is an infringement officer in relation to subsections 1272C(1) and 1272D(1) of this Act. Relevant chief executive
1272F(3)
For the purposes of Part 5 of the Regulatory Powers Act, the relevant chief executive in relation to subsections 1272C(1) and 1272D(1) of this Act is:
(a) the person specified as the relevant chief executive in the Registrar ' s instrument of appointment under section 1270 ; or
(b) if there is no person specified - the Registrar. Matters to be included in an infringement notice
1272F(4)
Subparagraph 104(1)(e)(iii) of the Regulatory Powers Act applies to an infringement notice relating to a contravention of subsection 1272C(1) or 1272D(1) of this Act as if that subparagraph did not require the notice to give details of the place of the contravention. SECTION 1272G APPLYING FOR ADDITIONAL DIRECTOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS
1272G(1)
A person must not apply for a director identification number if the person knows that the person already has a director identification number.Note: Failure to comply with this subsection is an offence: see subsection 1311(1) .
1272G(2)
Subsection (1) does not apply if the Registrar directed the person under subsection 1272A(2) to make the application.Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (2): see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .
1272G(3)
Subsection (1) does not apply if the person purports to make the application only in relation to Part 6-7A of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 .Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (3): see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .
1272G(4)
A person who contravenes, or is involved in a contravention of, subsection (1) contravenes this subsection.Note 1: Subsection (4) is a civil penalty provision (see section 1317E ).
Note 2: Section 79 defines involved .
SECTION 1272H MISREPRESENTING DIRECTOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS
1272H(1)
A person must not intentionally represent to a Commonwealth body, company or registered body, as the director identification number of the person or another person, a number that is not that director identification number.Note: Failure to comply with this subsection is an offence: see subsection 1311(1) .
1272H(2)
A person who contravenes, or is involved in a contravention of, subsection (1) contravenes this subsection.Note 1: Subsection (2) is a civil penalty provision (see section 1317E ).
Note 2: Section 79 defines involved .]
An officer or employee of a corporation who makes available or gives information, or authorises or permits the making available or giving of information, to:
(a) a director, auditor, member, debenture holder or trustee for debenture holders of the corporation; or
(b) if the corporation is taken for the purposes of Chapter 2M to be controlled by another corporation - an auditor of the other corporation; or
(c) an operator of a financial market (whether the market is operated in Australia or elsewhere) or an officer of such a market; or
(ca) a CSF intermediary;
being information, whether in documentary or any other form, that relates to the affairs of the corporation and that, to the knowledge of the officer or employee:
(d) is false or misleading in a material particular; or
(e) has omitted from it a matter or thing the omission of which renders the information misleading in a material respect;
contravenes this subsection.
An officer or employee of a corporation who makes available or gives information, or authorises or permits the making available or giving of information, to:
(a) a director, auditor, member, debenture holder or trustee for debenture holders of the corporation; or
(b) if the corporation is taken for the purposes of Chapter 2M to be controlled by another corporation - an auditor of the other corporation; or
(c) an operator of a financial market (whether the market is operated in Australia or elsewhere) or an officer of such a market;
being information, whether in documentary or any other form, relating to the affairs of the corporation that:
(d) is false or misleading in a material particular; or
(e) has omitted from it a matter or thing the omission of which renders the information misleading in a material respect;
without having taken reasonable steps to ensure that the information:
(f) was not false or misleading in a material particular; and
(g) did not have omitted from it a matter or thing the omission of which rendered the information misleading in a material respect;
contravenes this subsection.
The references in subsections (1) and (2) to a person making available or giving, or authorising or permitting the making available or giving of, information relating to the affairs of a corporation include references to a person making available or giving, or authorising or permitting the making available or giving of, information as to the state of knowledge of that person with respect to the affairs of the corporation. 1309(4)
Where information is made available or given to a person referred to in paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c) or (2)(a), (b) or (c) in response to a question asked by that person, the question and the information are to be considered together in determining whether the information was false or misleading. 1309(5)
For the purposes of this section:
(a) a notice under subsection 708AA(2) , 708A(5) , 1012DAA(2) or 1012DA(5) is taken to be a notice required for the purposes of this Act; and
(b) a notice under subsection 708AA(2) , 708A(5) , 1012DAA(2) or 1012DA(5) is taken to be misleading in a material respect if it omits information that is excluded information for the purposes of section 708AA , 708A , 1012DAA or 1012DA .
Paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) do not apply in relation to a corporation that is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation.
Note: Similar offences are created in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations under section 561-5 of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 .
For the purposes of subsection (2), a person is taken to have taken reasonable steps to ensure that information was not false or misleading in a material particular if the person proves that:
(a) the person made all inquiries (if any) that were reasonable in the circumstances; and
(b) after doing so, the person believed on reasonable grounds that the information was not misleading or deceptive in a material particular.
For the purposes of subsection (2), a person is taken to have taken reasonable steps to ensure that information did not have omitted from it any matter or thing the omission of which rendered the information misleading in a material respect if the person proves that:
(a) the person made all inquiries (if any) that were reasonable in the circumstances; and
(b) after doing so, the person believed on reasonable grounds that there was no such omission.
For the purposes of subsection (2), a person is taken to have taken reasonable steps to ensure that information was not false or misleading in a material particular if the person proves that:
(a) the person relied on information given to the person by:
(i) if the person is a body - someone other than a director, employee or agent of the body; or
(ii) if the person is an individual - someone other than an employee or agent of the individual; and
(b) the reliance placed on that information by the person was reasonable in all the circumstances.
For the purposes of subsection (2), a person is taken to have taken reasonable steps to ensure that information did not have omitted from it any matter or thing the omission of which rendered the information misleading in a material respect if the person proves that:
(a) the person relied on information given to the person by:
(i) if the person is a body - someone other than a director, employee or agent of the body; or
(ii) if the person is an individual - someone other than an employee or agent of the individual; and
(b) the reliance placed on that information by the person was reasonable in all the circumstances.
A person commits an offence if the person contravenes subsection (1) or (2).
A person contravenes this subsection if the person contravenes subsection (2).
Note: This subsection is a civil penalty provision (see section 1317E ).
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