{"id":"C1945L00128","name":"Commonwealth Bank Regulations","slug":"c1945l00128","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":"128 of 1945","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":320479,"registerId":"commonwealth-C1945L00128-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-08","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commonwealth Bank Regulations","content":"STATUTORY RULES.\n\n1945\\. No. 128.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nREGULATIONS UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH BANK ACT 1945.\\*\n\nI, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Commonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nDated this twentieth day of August, 1945.\n\nHENRY\n\nGovernor-General.\n\nBy His Royal Highness’s Command,\n\nJ. B. CHIFLEY\n\nTreasurer.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nCommonwealth Bank Regulations.\n\nCitation.\n\n1\\. These Regulations may be cited as the Commonwealth Bank Regulations.\n\nCommencement.\n\n2\\. These Regulations shall come into operation on the twenty-first day of August, 1945.\n\nForms.\n\n3\\. Any reference in these Regulations to a Form shall be read as a reference to a Form in the Schedule to these Regulations.\n\nOffice hours.\n\n4\\. Branches and agencies of the Bank shall be open for the transaction of business on such days and during such hours as the Bank determines.\n\nInformation to be furnished by customers.\n\n5\\. The Bank may require any person wishing to transact any banking business with the Bank to supply the Bank with his name, address, occupation and such other particulars as, in the opinion of the Bank, are necessary to enable the Bank to conduct that business properly.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\n\\* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 20th August, 1945.\n\n4321.—Price 8d.\n\n \nBank not bound to inquire as to manner of operating on accounts, &c.\n\n6\\. The Bank shall not be under any liability by reason of any failure to ascertain that the method in accordance with which a firm, company, society, local authority, club or other body of persons desires to operate on any account, to deal with any security or to transact any other business with the Bank, is in accordance with any deed, articles, rules or other instrument of the firm, company, society, local authority, club, or body.\n\nPowers of attorney, &c.\n\n7\\. When any business is to be transacted with the Bank under a power of attorney, probate of a will or letters of administration of an estate, the Bank may require the original power of attorney, probate or letters of administration to be produced to the Bank and may require a copy of the power of attorney, probate or letters of administration to be lodged with the Bank.\n\nSecrecy.\n\n8\\. An officer, agent or other person carrying on any business of the Bank shall not—\n\n(a) allow any person to have access to books or papers belonging to, or in the possession of, the Bank;\n\n(b) furnish extracts from any such books or papers; or\n\n(c) give any information of any kind relating to the business of the Bank (except to or on the order of a customer in respect of his own matters),\n\nunless by direction or authority of the Bank or under compulsion or obligation of law.\n\nBalance-sheets.\n\n9.—(1.) The balance-sheets of the Bank and of the Note Issue Department prepared in the year 1945 shall be in accordance with Forms A and B respectively and the balance-sheets of the Bank and of the Note Issue Department prepared in each succeeding year shall be in accordance with Forms C and E respectively.\n\n(2.) The balance-sheets of the General Banking Division, of the Rural Credits Department, of the Mortgage Bank Department and of the Industrial Finance Department shall be in accordance with Forms F, G, H and I, respectively.\n\n(3.) The Governor shall, once in each year, prepare a balance-sheet, in accordance with Form D, of the central banking business carried on by the Bank under Part III. of the Commonwealth Bank Act 1945, and shall submit it to the Auditor-General for report as to its correctness or otherwise, and shall transmit it, together with the report of the Auditor-General, to the Treasurer.\n\n(4.) The Governor shall also transmit true copies of the balance-sheet and report referred to in the last preceding sub-regulation to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives to be laid before the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively.\n\nStatement of liabilities and assets of General Banking Division.\n\n10.— (1.) The Bank shall furnish to the Treasurer a statement, in accordance with Form J, of the liabilities and assets within Australia of the General Banking Division.\n\n(2.) The statement shall be prepared as at the close of business on Monday in each week and shall be furnished to the Treasurer within fourteen days after the date as at which it is prepared.\n\nReturns of notes held.\n\n11\\. The returns referred to in section 49 of the Commonwealth Bank Act 1945 shall be in accordance with Form K.\n\n \nTHE SCHEDULE.\n\nRegulation 9. Form A.\n\n—————\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nBALANCE-SHEET AS AT 30th JUNE, 1945.\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

£

s

d

Assets.

£

s

d

Capital Account......................

Coin, bullion and cash balances .................................................................

Australian notes...........................................................................

Reserve Fund.......................

Rural Credits Department—

Money at short call in London ..................................................................

Commonwealth Government securities (including Commonwealth Treasury Bills)................................

Capital Account.................

Reserve Fund...................

Development Fund...............

Mortgage Bank Department—

Other Government, semi-governmental and municipal securities...........................................

Capital Account.................

Reserve Fund...................

Special war-time deposits by banks....

Bills receivable in London and remittances in transit...................................................

Deposits, accrued interest and rebate, bills payable and other liabilities

Bills discounted, loans and advances to customers and other assets..........................................

Mortgage Bank loans....................................................

Bank premises.........................................................

Contingent liabilities—

Liabilities of customers and others on letters of credit per contra

Outstanding credits per contra

Note Issue Department.................t

Note Issue Department...................................................

Total.......................

Total

Profit and Loss fob Year Ended 30th June, 1945.

Dr.

£

s.

d.

Cr.

£

s.

d.

General Bank Department—

By Profits for Year ended

To National Debt Sinking Fund

30th June, 1945—

General Bank Department ................................................

Rural Credits Department .................................................

Mortgage Bank Department................................................

Note Issue Department....................................................

To Reserve Fund.........

To Mortgage Bank Department Capital Account.

Rural Credits Department—

To Reserve Fund.........

To Development Fund.....

Mortgage Bank Department—

To Reserve Fund.........

Note Issue Department—

To Commonwealth Treasury.

To Mortgage Bank Department Capital Account.

Total.................

Total

\n```\n\nRegulation 9. Form B.\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nNOTE ISSUE DEPARTMENT.\n\nBalance-sheet as at 30th June, 1945.\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

£

s.

d.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

Notes in circulation......................

Gold and English sterling

Reserve for notes not presented

reserve.........................................................................

Special Reserve—Premium on

Debentures and other securities

Other assets..........................................................................

gold sold.........................

Other liabilities.........................

Total...........................

Total...........................

\n```\n\n \nRegulation 9 Form C.\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nAGGREGATE BALANCE-SHEET AS AT\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

Capital.................

Gold and balances held abroad (including money at short call)........................................

Reserve Funds

Special Reserve—Premium on

gold sold.............

Australian notes and coin.................................................................

Notes on issue............

Cheques and bills of other banks............................................................

Deposits, bills payable and other liabilities (including provision for contingencies)

Commonwealth Government securities (including Commonwealth Treasury Bills)...........................

Securities of other Governments, and of local and semi-governmental authorities............................

Bills receivable and remittances in transit ......................................................

Bank premises........................................................................

Loans, advances, bills discounted, and other assets (after deducting provision for debts considered bad or doubtful).....

Total..............

Total....................

\n```\n\nNote.—Inter-departmental accounts totalling £ have been offset.\n\n```html\n

Profit and Loss for Year Ended

Dr.

Cr.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d,

Central Banking Business—

To National Debt Sinking Fund..............

By Profits for Year Ended—

Central Banking Business ..................................................................

Note Issue Department....................................................................

General Banking Division ..................................................................

Rural Credits Department ..................................................................

Mortgage Bank Department ................................................................

Industrial Finance Department...............................................................

To Commonwealth Bank Reserve Fund.........

To Mortgage Bank Department Capital Account...

Note Issue Department—

To Mortgage Bank Department Capital Account...

To Commonwealth Treasury................

General Banking Division—

To National Debt Sinking Fund..............

To General Banking Division Reserve Fund......

Rural Credits Department—

To Rural Credits Department Reserve Fund......

To Rural Credits Development Fund...........

Mortgage Bank Department—

To Mortgage Bank Department Reserve Fund.....

Industrial Finance Department—

To Industrial Finance Department Reserve Fund...

Total............................

Total....................................................................

\n```\n\n \nRegulation 9. Form D.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA\n\nCENTRAL BANKING BUSINESS.\n\nBalance-sheet as at\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

Capital.................

Gold and balances held abroad (including money at short call)................................

Australian notes and coin

Cheques and bills of other banks....................................................

Commonwealth Government securities (including Commonwealth Treasury Bills)....................

Securities of other Governments, and of local and semi-governmental authorities.....................

Bills receivable and remittances in transit...............................................

Bank premises................................................................

Other assets..................................................................

Reserve Fund.............

Deposits—

Special accounts of trading banks

Other deposits of trading banks

Other (including provision for contingencies)

Other liabilities............

Note Issue Department

Note Issue Department.......................................

Total

Total................................................

\n```\n\n—————————\n\nRegulation 9. Form E.\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nNOTE ISSUE DEPARTMENT.\n\nBalance-sheet as at\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

Notes on issue*......................

Gold and balances held abroad (including money at short call).........................

Special Reserve—....................

Premium on gold sold

Other liabilities*.....................

Government securities (including Commonwealth Treasury Bills)......................

Other assets..........................................................

Total.......................

Total......................................................

\n```\n\n\\* Notes of a denomination not exceeding One pound which have been on issue for more than twenty years, and notes of a denomination exceeding One pound which have been on issue for more than forty years, are not included in the item “Notes on issue” but are included in the item “Other liabilities”.\n\n \nRegulation 9. Form f.\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nGENERAL BANKING DIVISION.\n\nBalance-sheet as at\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

Capital...............

Gold and balances held abroad (including money at short call)..................

Reserve Fund..........

Deposits, bills payable, and other liabilities (including provision for contingencies)

Australian notes and coin and cash balances

Cheques and bills of other banks......................................

Commonwealth Government securities (including Commonwealth Treasury Bills).....

Securities of other Governments, and of local and semi-governmental authorities......

Bills receivable and remittances in transit................................

Bank premises.................................................

Loans, advances, bills discounted, and other assets, after deducting provision for debts considered bad or doubtful

Total.........................

Total........................................................

\n```\n\n——————————\n\nRegulation 9. Form G\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nRURAL CREDITS DEPARTMENT.\n\nBalance-sheet as at\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

£.

s.

d.

Capital...............

Cash balances...............................................................

Reserve Fund..........

Securities of Governments, and of local and semi-governmental authorities (including Commonwealth Treasury Bills)

Development Fund.......

Other liabilities.........

Loans, advances and other assets, after deducting provision for debts considered bad or doubtful.........

Total...............

Total.....................................................

\n```\n\n \nRegulation 9. Form H.\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nMORTGAGE BANK DEPARTMENT.\n\nBalance-sheet as at\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

Capital......................

Reserve Fund.................

Cash balances........................................................

Securities of Governments, and of local and semi-governmental authorities (including Commonwealth Treasury Bills).

Loans, advances and other assets, after deducting provision for debts considered bad or doubtful.

Other liabilities................

Total................

Total..............................................................

\n```\n\n———————————\n\nRegulation 9. Form I.\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nINDUSTRIAL FINANCE DEPARTMENT.\n\nBalance-sheet as at\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

£

s.

d.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

Capital............

Cash balances

Reserve Fund........

Securities of Governments, and of local and semi-governmental authorities (including Commonwealth Treasury Bills)

Loans, advances, shares and debentures and other assets, after deducting provision for debts considered bad or doubtful

Other liabilities......

Total........

Total..............................................

\n```\n\n \nRegulation 10. Form J\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA.\n\nGENERAL BANKING DIVISION.\n\nStatement of Liabilities and Assets within Australia\n\nas at the close of business on , 19 .\n\nPART I.\n\n```html\n

Liabilities.

£

s.

d.

Assets.

£

s.

d.

1.

Deposits not bearing interest—

(a) Australian Governments...................

(b) Other...............................

1.

Coin and bullion—

(a) Gold....................................................................

(b) Other...................................................................

2.

Australian notes................................................................

2.

Deposits bearing interest—

3.

Cash balances..................................................................

(a) Australian Governments...................

(b) Other...............................

(i) Fixed............................

(ii) Current..........................

4.

Balances with and due from other banks, and notes, cheques and bills of other banks...................

5.

Australian public securities—

3.

Balances due to other banks

(a) Commonwealth and States—

(i) Treasury bills*

(ii) Other securities*

4.

Bills payable and other liabilities (excluding capital and reserves)

(b) Local and semi-governmental authorities*

6.

Other securities.................................................................

7.

Loans, advances and bills discounted—

(a) Australian Governments.....................................................

(b) All other customers........................................................

8.

Bank premises, furniture and sites.....................................................

9.

Bills receivable and other assets......................................................

Total........

Total........

\n```\n\n\\*Amounts redeemable overseas:—\n\n……………………………….\n\nPART II.\n\n```html\n

Deposits not bearing interest.

Deposits bearing interest.

Total Deposits.

Loans, Advances and Bills Discounted.

State or Territory.

Australian Governments.

Other.

Australian Governments.

Other.

Australian Governments.

Current.

Fixed.

Other.

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

New South Wales........

Victoria..............

Queensland............

South Australia.........

Western Australia.......

Tasmania.............

Australian Capital Territory.

Northern Territory .......

Papua and New Guinea....

Other................

Total.............

\n```\n\n \nRegulation 11. Form K.\n\nCommonwealth Bank Act 1945.\n\nRETURN OF AUSTRALIAN NOTES.\n\nThe amount of Australian notes held by (name of bank) at its head office and all branches, as at the close of business on Monday, , 19 , was pounds shillings (£ ).\n\nBank stamp.\n\n(Signature of General Manager or other\n\nprincipal officer of Bank.)\n\nDate.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nBy Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.\n\n4321.—2","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-realtime","completionTokens":1803},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"These are the original 1945 regulations (Statutory Rules 1945 No. 128) made under the Commonwealth Bank Act 1945, consistent with the Act's original intent to establish the Bank's operational and reporting framework."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive cross-referencing to the Commonwealth Bank Act 1945 and specific departmental structures","11 distinct prescribed forms (Forms A through K) with detailed tabular layouts for financial reporting","Multi-departmental accounting requirements (Note Issue, General Banking, Rural Credits, Mortgage Bank, Industrial Finance)","Combination of substantive legal provisions (secrecy, liability) with procedural reporting rules"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations made under the **Commonwealth Bank Act 1945** set the operational rules for Australia's central bank. They establish **banking secrecy** (prohibiting staff from disclosing customer information unless legally compelled), **customer identification requirements** (requiring names, addresses and occupations), and **protect the Bank from liability** when dealing with companies, clubs or local authorities without needing to verify their internal constitutions or rules.\n\nThe regulations also prescribe **detailed financial reporting standards**, mandating specific forms (Forms A–K) for balance sheets and profit/loss statements across the Bank's five key departments: the Note Issue Department, General Banking Division, Rural Credits Department, Mortgage Bank Department, and Industrial Finance Department. The Bank must submit weekly statements of liabilities and assets to the Treasurer (Form J) and provide annual audited balance sheets for parliamentary scrutiny."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/c1945l00128","history":"/api/acts/c1945l00128/history","analysis":"/api/acts/c1945l00128/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/c1945l00128/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/c1945l00128/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/c1945l00128/documents"}}