Australian Passports Act 2005
34Damaging or interfering with an Australian travel document
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34 Damaging or interfering with an Australian travel document
(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.