{"id":"tas:sr-2014-064","name":"Penalty Units and Other Penalties Order 2014","slug":"penalty-units-and-other-penalties-order-2014","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"tas","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"64 of 2014","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":187602,"registerId":"tas-tas:sr-2014-064-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Short title","content":"### 1 Short title\n\n> This order may be cited as the [Penalty Units and Other Penalties Order 2014](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/sr-2014-064) .","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"### 2 Commencement\n\n> This order takes effect on 1 July 2014.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Penalty unit value","content":"### 3 Penalty unit value\n\n> On and from 1 July 2014, the value of a penalty unit is declared to be $140.\n\nDisplayed and numbered in accordance with the *[Rules Publication Act 1953](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1953-050)*.\n\nNotified in the *Gazette* on 25 June 2014\n\nThis order is administered in the Department of Justice.","sortOrder":2}],"analysis":{"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument appears to serve its original and sole intended purpose: establishing a standard monetary value for penalty units used across Tasmanian legislation. There is no evidence of scope creep or expansion beyond that narrow function."},"complexity_factors":["Very narrow and mechanical in purpose — sets a numerical value only","The full substantive content of the order (the actual dollar amount) is not visible in the text provided, limiting full analysis","Its simplicity belies its broad downstream impact across many other laws, which could cause confusion for laypeople trying to trace fines back to their source","Amendments are tracked separately via a Table of Amending Instruments, requiring cross-referencing to get the full picture"],"plain_english_summary":"The order sets the dollar value of a “penalty unit,” the single reference used across Tasmanian laws to convert penalty units into dollar fines. It therefore determines how much individuals, businesses and courts pay or impose for offences across state legislation. In force from 1 July 2014, it functions as the master instrument that updates fines system‑wide when its value changes."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument does not change which offences attract penalties; it only declares the dollar value of a penalty unit (s 3) and specifies the commencement date (s 2)."},"complexity_factors":["Single, numeric substantive change (sets one figure: $140) — s 3","Clear, fixed commencement date — s 2","No discretionary powers or criteria introduced","No novel legal definitions or cross-referencing within the instrument","Administrative responsibility plainly assigned (Department of Justice)"],"plain_english_summary":"This order (s 3) fixes the monetary value of a penalty unit at $140, effective 1 July 2014 (s 2). It therefore sets the dollar amount used to calculate fines that are expressed in penalty units, and is administered by the Department of Justice. The practical effect is to determine how much money a person or entity pays when a law or instrument prescribes a number of penalty units (s 3)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation performs exactly its intended function: setting a monetary value for penalty units. There is no scope creep or expansion beyond this singular purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short — only 3 operative sections","No defined terms requiring interpretation","No cross-references to other legislation (except citation)","Single, unambiguous declaration of value","No conditional logic, exceptions, or procedural requirements"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThis is a short, technical instrument that sets the dollar value of a \"penalty unit\" at **$140**, effective from 1 July 2014.\n\n**What is a penalty unit?**\n\nA penalty unit is a standardised amount used across Australian laws to calculate fines. Instead of writing \"$1,400\" in every law, Parliament writes \"10 penalty units\" — making it easier to update all fines at once by changing this single value. Think of it like a currency exchange rate for penalties.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- **Anyone who breaks Commonwealth laws** — your fine is calculated using this $140 base rate\n- **Government agencies** — they use this figure to issue infringement notices and calculate maximum penalties\n- **Courts** — they apply this value when imposing fines for criminal offences\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis $140 figure became the foundation for thousands of penalties across federal legislation. When politicians say \"the maximum penalty is 50 penalty units,\" they mean $7,000 (50 × $140). This instrument ensures consistency and allows the government to adjust penalty values economy-wide without rewriting every individual law.\n\n**Key point:** This was the 2014 rate. Penalty unit values are regularly updated (they've increased since), but this instrument established the baseline that applied from mid-2014."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/penalty-units-and-other-penalties-order-2014","history":"/api/acts/penalty-units-and-other-penalties-order-2014/history","analysis":"/api/acts/penalty-units-and-other-penalties-order-2014/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/penalty-units-and-other-penalties-order-2014/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/penalty-units-and-other-penalties-order-2014/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/penalty-units-and-other-penalties-order-2014/documents"}}