Criminal Code Act 1995 (Australia, unsourced)/Chapter 7/7.7

=Part 7.7—Forgery and related offences=

Division 143—Preliminary

143.1 Definitions


 * (1) In this Part:

document includes:


 * (a) any paper or other material on which there is writing; or


 * (b) any paper or other material on which there are marks, figures, symbols or perforations that are:


 * (i) capable of being given a meaning by persons qualified to interpret them; or


 * (ii) capable of being responded to by a computer, a machine or an electronic device; or


 * (c) any article or material (for example, a disk or a tape) from which information is capable of being reproduced with or without the aid of any other article or device.

false Commonwealth document has the meaning given by section 143.3.

false document has the meaning given by section 143.2.

information means information, whether in the form of data, text, sounds, images or in any other form.


 * (2) The following are examples of things covered by the definition of document in subsection (1):


 * (a) a credit card;


 * (b) a debit card;


 * (c) a card by means of which property can be obtained.

143.2 False documents


 * (1) For the purposes of this Part, a document is a false document if, and only if:


 * (a) the document, or any part of the document:


 * (i) purports to have been made in the form in which it is made by a person who did not make it in that form; or


 * (ii) purports to have been made in the form in which it is made on the authority of a person who did not authorise its making in that form; or


 * (b) the document, or any part of the document:


 * (i) purports to have been made in the terms in which it is made by a person who did not make it in those terms; or


 * (ii) purports to have been made in the terms in which it is made on the authority of a person who did not authorise its making in those terms; or


 * (c) the document, or any part of the document:


 * (i) purports to have been altered in any respect by a person who did not alter it in that respect; or


 * (ii) purports to have been altered in any respect on the authority of a person who did not authorise its alteration in that respect; or


 * (d) the document, or any part of the document:


 * (i) purports to have been made or altered by a person who did not exist; or


 * (ii) purports to have been made or altered on the authority of a person who did not exist; or


 * (e) the document, or any part of the document, purports to have been made or altered on a date on which, at a time at which, at a place at which, or otherwise in circumstances in which, it was not made or altered.


 * (2) For the purposes of this Part, a person is taken to make a false document if the person alters a document so as to make it a false document (whether or not it was already a false document before the alteration).


 * (3) This section has effect as if a document that purports to be a true copy of another document were the original document.

143.3 False Commonwealth documents


 * (1) For the purposes of this Part, a document is a false Commonwealth document if, and only if:


 * (a) the document, or any part of the document:


 * (i) purports to have been made in the form in which it is made by a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, who did not make it in that form; or


 * (ii) purports to have been made in the form in which it is made on the authority of a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, who did not authorise its making in that form; or


 * (b) the document, or any part of the document:


 * (i) purports to have been made in the terms in which it is made by a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, who did not make it in those terms; or


 * (ii) purports to have been made in the terms in which it is made on the authority of a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, who did not authorise its making in those terms; or


 * (c) the document, or any part of the document:


 * (i) purports to have been altered in any respect by a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, who did not alter it in that respect; or


 * (ii) purports to have been altered in any respect on the authority of a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, who did not authorise its alteration in that respect; or


 * (d) the document, or any part of the document:


 * (i) purports to have been made or altered by a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, who did not exist; or


 * (ii) purports to have been made or altered on the authority of a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, who did not exist; or


 * (e) the document, or any part of the document, purports to have been made or altered by a Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth public official, on a date on which, at a time at which, at a place at which, or otherwise in circumstances in which, it was not made or altered.


 * (2) For the purposes of this Part, a person is taken to make a false Commonwealth document if the person alters a document so as to make it a false Commonwealth document (whether or not it was already a false Commonwealth document before the alteration).


 * (3) This section has effect as if a document that purports to be a true copy of another document were the original document.


 * (4) A reference in this section to a Commonwealth public official is a reference to a person in the person’s capacity as a Commonwealth public official.

143.4 Inducing acceptance of false documents

If it is necessary for the purposes of this Part to prove an intent to induce a person in the person’s capacity as a public official to accept a false document as genuine, it is not necessary to prove that the defendant intended so to induce a particular person in the person’s capacity as a public official.

Division 144—Forgery

144.1 Forgery


 * (1) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person makes a false document with the intention that the person or another will use it:


 * (i) to dishonestly induce a third person in the third person’s capacity as a public official to accept it as genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so accepted, to dishonestly obtain a gain, dishonestly cause a loss, or dishonestly influence the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the capacity is a capacity as a Commonwealth public official.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (2) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the capacity was a capacity as a Commonwealth public official.


 * (3) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person makes a false document with the intention that the person or another will use it:


 * (i) to dishonestly cause a computer, a machine or an electronic device to respond to the document as if the document were genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so responded to, to dishonestly obtain a gain, dishonestly cause a loss, or dishonestly influence the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the response is in connection with the operations of a Commonwealth entity.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (4) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (3), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the response was in connection with the operations of a Commonwealth entity.


 * (5) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person makes a false document with the intention that the person or another will use it:


 * (i) to dishonestly induce a third person to accept it as genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so accepted, to dishonestly obtain a gain, dishonestly cause a loss, or dishonestly influence the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the false document is a false Commonwealth document.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (6) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (5), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the false document was a false Commonwealth document.


 * (7) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person makes a false document with the intention that the person or another will use it:


 * (i) to dishonestly cause a computer, a machine or an electronic device to respond to the document as if the document were genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so responded to, to dishonestly obtain a gain, dishonestly cause a loss, or dishonestly influence the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the false document is a false Commonwealth document.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (8) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (7), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the false document was a false Commonwealth document.


 * (9) Section 15.4 (extended geographical jurisdiction—category D) applies to an offence against subsection (1), (3), (5) or (7).

Division 145—Offences relating to forgery

145.1 Using forged document


 * (1) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a document is a false document and uses it with the intention of:


 * (i) dishonestly inducing another person in the other person’s capacity as a public official to accept it as genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so accepted, dishonestly obtaining a gain, dishonestly causing a loss, or dishonestly influencing the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the capacity is a capacity as a Commonwealth public official.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (2) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the capacity was a capacity as a Commonwealth public official.


 * (3) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a document is a false document and uses it with the intention of:


 * (i) dishonestly causing a computer, a machine or an electronic device to respond to the document as if the document were genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so responded to, dishonestly obtaining a gain, dishonestly causing a loss, or dishonestly influencing the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the response is in connection with the operations of a Commonwealth entity.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (4) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (3), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the response was in connection with the operations of a Commonwealth entity.


 * (5) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a document is a false document and uses it with the intention of:


 * (i) dishonestly inducing another person to accept it as genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so accepted, dishonestly obtaining a gain, dishonestly causing a loss, or dishonestly influencing the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the false document is a false Commonwealth document.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (6) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (5), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the false document was a false Commonwealth document.


 * (7) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a document is a false document and uses it with the intention of:


 * (i) dishonestly causing a computer, a machine or an electronic device to respond to the document as if the document were genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so responded to, dishonestly obtaining a gain, dishonestly causing a loss, or dishonestly influencing the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the false document is a false Commonwealth document.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (8) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (7), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the false document was a false Commonwealth document.

145.2 Possession of forged document


 * (1) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a document is a false document and has it in his or her possession with the intention that the person or another will use it:


 * (i) to dishonestly induce a third person in the third person’s capacity as a public official to accept it as genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so accepted, to dishonestly obtain a gain, dishonestly cause a loss, or dishonestly influence the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the capacity is a capacity as a Commonwealth public official.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (2) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the capacity was a capacity as a Commonwealth public official.


 * (3) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a document is a false document and has it in his or her possession with the intention that the person or another will use it:


 * (i) to dishonestly cause a computer, a machine or an electronic device to respond to the document as if the document were genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so responded to, to dishonestly obtain a gain, dishonestly cause a loss, or dishonestly influence the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the response is in connection with the operations of a Commonwealth entity.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (4) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (3), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the response was in connection with the operations of a Commonwealth entity.


 * (5) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a document is a false document and has it in his or her possession with the intention that the person or another will use it:


 * (i) to dishonestly induce a third person to accept it as genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so accepted, to dishonestly obtain a gain, dishonestly cause a loss, or dishonestly influence the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the false document is a false Commonwealth document.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (6) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (5), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the false document was a false Commonwealth document.


 * (7) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a document is a false document and has it in his or her possession with the intention that the person or another will use it:


 * (i) to dishonestly cause a computer, a machine or an electronic device to respond to the document as if the document were genuine; and


 * (ii) if it is so responded to, to dishonestly obtain a gain, dishonestly cause a loss, or dishonestly influence the exercise of a public duty or function; and


 * (b) the false document is a false Commonwealth document.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (8) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (7), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the false document was a false Commonwealth document.

145.3 Possession, making or adaptation of devices etc. for making forgeries


 * (1) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a device, material or other thing is designed or adapted for the making of a false document (whether or not the device, material or thing is designed or adapted for another purpose); and


 * (b) the person has the device, material or thing in his or her possession with the intention that the person or another person will use it to commit an offence against section 144.1.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (2) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person makes or adapts a device, material or other thing; and


 * (b) the person knows that the device, material or other thing is designed or adapted for the making of a false document (whether or not the device, material or thing is designed or adapted for another purpose); and


 * (c) the person makes or adapts the device, material or thing with the intention that the person or another person will use it to commit an offence against section 144.1.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years.


 * (3) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person knows that a device, material or other thing is designed or adapted for the making of a false Commonwealth document (whether or not the device, material or thing is designed or adapted for another purpose); and


 * (b) the person has the device, material or thing in his or her possession; and


 * (c) the person does not have a reasonable excuse for having the device, material or thing in his or her possession.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years.

Note:         A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in paragraph (3)(c). See subsection 13.3(3).


 * (4) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person makes or adapts a device, material or other thing; and


 * (b) the person knows that the device, material or other thing is designed or adapted for the making of a false Commonwealth document (whether or not the device, material or thing is designed or adapted for another purpose).

Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years.

Note:         See also section 10.5 (lawful authority).

145.4 Falsification of documents etc.


 * (1) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person dishonestly damages, destroys, alters, conceals or falsifies a document; and


 * (b) the document is:


 * (i) kept, retained or issued for the purposes of a law of the Commonwealth; or


 * (ii) made by a Commonwealth entity or a person in the capacity of a Commonwealth public official; or


 * (iii) held by a Commonwealth entity or a person in the capacity of a Commonwealth public official; and


 * (c) the first‑mentioned person does so with the intention of:


 * (i) obtaining a gain; or


 * (ii) causing a loss.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 7 years.


 * (1A) Absolute liability applies to the paragraph (1)(b) element of the offence.


 * (2) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person dishonestly damages, destroys, alters, conceals or falsifies a document; and


 * (b) the person does so with the intention of:


 * (i) obtaining a gain from another person; or


 * (ii) causing a loss to another person; and


 * (c) the other person is a Commonwealth entity.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 7 years.


 * (3) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (2), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the other person was a Commonwealth entity.

145.5 Giving information derived from false or misleading documents


 * (1) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person dishonestly gives information to another person; and


 * (b) the information was derived, directly or indirectly, from a document that, to the knowledge of the first‑mentioned person, is false or misleading in a material particular; and


 * (c) the document is:


 * (i) kept, retained or issued for the purposes of a law of the Commonwealth; or


 * (ii) made by a Commonwealth entity or a person in the capacity of a Commonwealth public official; or


 * (iii) held by a Commonwealth entity or a person in the capacity of a Commonwealth public official; and


 * (d) the first‑mentioned person does so with the intention of:


 * (i) obtaining a gain; or


 * (ii) causing a loss.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 7 years.


 * (1A) Absolute liability applies to the paragraph (1)(c) element of the offence.


 * (2) A person is guilty of an offence if:


 * (a) the person dishonestly gives information to another person; and


 * (b) the information was derived, directly or indirectly, from a document that, to the knowledge of the first‑mentioned person, is false or misleading in a material particular; and


 * (c) the first‑mentioned person does so with the intention of:


 * (i) obtaining a gain from another person; or


 * (ii) causing a loss to another person; and


 * (d) the other person is a Commonwealth entity.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 7 years.


 * (3) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (2), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant knew that the other person was a Commonwealth entity.

145.6 Geographical jurisdiction

Section 15.4 (extended geographical jurisdiction—category D) applies to each offence against this Division.