Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

AUSTRALIAN PASSPORTS ACT 2005 - SECT 34

             (1)  A person commits an offence if:

                     (a)  the person engages in conduct in relation to an Australian travel document; and

                     (b)  the conduct results in:

                              (i)  the destruction of the Australian travel document; or

                             (ii)  damage to, manipulation of, or tampering or interference with the Australian travel document; or

                            (iii)  damage to, manipulation of, or tampering or interference with the Australian travel document's contactless integrated circuit; or

                            (iv)  the removal of the Australian travel document's contactless integrated circuit.

Penalty:  Imprisonment for 10 years or 1,000 penalty units, or both.

             (2)  Subsection (1) does not apply if the person has a reasonable excuse.

Note:          The defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (2). See subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .