Version incorporating amendments as at
1 March 2025
table of provisions
Section Page
1 Purposes 1
2 Commencement 2
3 Definitions 2
4 Meaning of fee unit 3
5 Calculation of value of fee and penalty units 3
6 Notification of values of fee and penalty units 4
7 Calculation of a fee or penalty 5
8 Certain monetary amounts to be construed in fee units or penalty units 5
9 Regulations 6
10 Notification of fees and penalties 9
11 Provisions for 2012–2013 9
12 Subordinate Legislation Act 1994 10
Endnotes 11
1 General information 11
2 Table of Amendments 13
3 Explanatory details 14
Version No.008
Monetary Units Act 2004
No. 10 of 2004
Version incorporating amendments as at
1 March 2025
The Parliament of Victoria enacts as follows:
1 Purposes
The main purposes of this Act are—
(a) to provide for fees and penalties to be fixed by reference to fee units or penalty units that can be indexed annually by an amount to be fixed by the Treasurer;
(b) to change certain penalties that are specified in monetary amounts in certain Acts to penalty units;
(c) to change certain fees that are specified in monetary amounts in certain Acts to fee units;
(d) to authorise the Governor in Council to make regulations—
(i) converting references to fees and penalties in monetary amounts to equivalent fee units and penalty units;
(ii) converting references to fee units and penalty units to equivalent fees and penalties in monetary amounts;
(iii) converting existing references to fee units to equivalent fee units under this Act;
(iv) converting existing references to the monetary value of fee units or penalty units to the equivalent value under this Act;
(v) increasing fees that have remained in monetary amounts to fee units having regard to the indexation that would have applied if they were in fee units;
(e) to change penalty units in the to monetary amounts;
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1982
(f) to amend the Sentencing Act 1991 and the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994.
2 Commencement
(1) This section and sections 1, 3, 9, 11 and 12 come into operation on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.
(2) The remaining provisions of this Act come into operation on 1 July 2004.
3 Definitions
In this Act—
fee includes charge or other amount;
S. 3 def. of instrument maker inserted by No. 6/2024 s. 3.
instrument maker has the same meaning as in the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994;
S. 3 def. of legislative instrument inserted by No. 6/2024 s. 3.
legislative instrument has the same meaning as in the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994;
penalty means a fine or other monetary penalty and includes an amount payable under an Act or statutory rule in respect of an offence for which an infringement notice can be issued under the Act;
penalty unit has the same meaning as in section 110 of the Sentencing Act 1991;
statutory rule has the same meaning as in the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994.
S. 4 amended by No. 6/2024 s. 4.
4 Meaning of fee unit
If in an Act, a statutory rule or a legislative instrument there is a statement of a number (whether whole, fractional or decimal) of what are called fee units, that statement must, unless the context otherwise requires, be construed as stating a number of dollars equal to the product obtained by multiplying the number of fee units by the amount fixed from time to time by the Treasurer under section 5(3).
5 Calculation of value of fee and penalty units
(1) The value of a fee unit is the amount fixed with respect to a financial year by the Treasurer by notice published in the Government Gazette.
(2) The value of a penalty unit is the amount fixed with respect to a financial year by the Treasurer by notice published in the Government Gazette.
(3) The Treasurer may, by notice published in the Government Gazette, fix once each financial year the amounts referred to in subsections (1) and (2).
(4) The Treasurer is to fix before 1 March in each year an amount to be known as the annual rate by which the amount of a fee unit or penalty unit is to be adjusted for the next financial year.
(5) If the Treasurer does not fix an annual rate under subsection (4) for a financial year, the annual rate that was determined for the previous financial year is to be the rate by which the amount of a fee unit or penalty unit is to be adjusted for the financial year.
(6) The amount of a fee unit fixed by the Treasurer that is to apply in respect of a financial year must not exceed the amount that is the product of the value of the fee unit in the previous financial year multiplied by the annual rate for the financial year in which the fee unit is to apply rounded to the nearest cent.
(7) The amount of a penalty unit fixed by the Treasurer that is to apply in respect of a financial year must not exceed the amount that is the product of the value of the penalty unit in the previous financial year multiplied by the annual rate for the financial year in which the penalty is to apply rounded to the nearest cent.
S. 5(8) inserted by No. 47/2024 s. 26.
(8) The Treasurer must ensure that the annual rate fixed by the Treasurer under subsection (4) is published on a website maintained by the Department of the Minister administering this Act as soon as practicable after it is fixed.
6 Notification of values of fee and penalty units
Before 1 June in each year the Treasurer must publish in the Government Gazette and in a newspaper circulating generally throughout Victoria notice of—
(a) the value of the fee unit that is to apply for the financial year commencing on 1 July in that year; and
(b) the value of the penalty unit that is to apply for the financial year commencing on 1 July in that year.
7 Calculation of a fee or penalty
S. 7(1) amended by No. 6/2024 s. 5.
(1) The amount of a fee provided for by an Act, a statutory rule or a legislative instrument by a fee unit is to be calculated by multiplying the number of fee units applicable by the value of a fee unit fixed under section 5.
(2) The amount of a penalty provided for by an Act or statutory rule by a penalty unit is to be calculated by multiplying the number of penalty units applicable by the value of a penalty unit fixed under section 5.
(3) The amount of a fee calculated under this section may be rounded to the nearest 10 cents.
(4) The amount of a penalty calculated under this section may be rounded to the nearest dollar.
8 Certain monetary amounts to be construed in fee units or penalty units
S. 8(1) amended by No. 6/2024 s. 6(1).
(1) A provision in an Act authorising the Governor in Council to make a statutory rule that prescribes, fixes or charges a fee (however expressed) may be construed as authorising the Governor in Council to make a statutory rule to prescribe, fix or charge that fee by reference to a fee unit.
S. 8(1A) inserted by No. 6/2024 s. 6(2).
(1A) A provision in an Act or a statutory rule authorising an instrument maker to make a legislative instrument that prescribes, fixes or charges a fee (however expressed) may be construed as authorising the instrument maker to make a legislative instrument to prescribe, fix or charge that fee by reference to a fee unit.
(2) A provision in an Act authorising the Governor in Council to make a statutory rule that prescribes a penalty for an offence against the statutory rule (however expressed) may be construed as authorising the Governor in Council to make a statutory rule to prescribe that penalty by reference to a penalty unit.
9 Regulations
(1) The Governor in Council, on the certificate and recommendation of the Treasurer, may make regulations amending any statutory rule made under any Act to—
(a) convert any fees specified in monetary amounts in the statutory rule to fee units;
(b) convert any penalties specified in monetary amounts in the statutory rule to penalty units;
(c) convert any fee units or penalty units specified or referred to in the statutory rule to fee units or penalty units calculated in accordance with this Act;
(d) convert the monetary amount of a fee unit or penalty unit specified or referred to in the statutory rule to the equivalent monetary amount of that fee unit or penalty unit calculated in accordance with this Act;
(e) convert any fee units specified in the statutory rule to fees specified in monetary amounts;
(f) convert any penalty units specified in the statutory rule to penalties in monetary amounts;
(g) increase any fees specified in monetary amounts in the statutory rule by the amount of the cumulative annual rates fixed by the Treasurer under this Act for the period that the fee has had effect without any increase.
(2) Part 2 of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994 does not apply to a regulation made under this section if the Treasurer certifies in writing that—
(a) in the case of a regulation made under subsection (1)(a)—
(i) to take effect on or before 1 July 2004, the regulation converts fees in monetary amounts to fee units by dividing the amount of the fee by $10; or
(ii) to take effect after 1 July 2004, the regulation converts fees in monetary amounts to fee units by dividing the amount of the fee by the value of a fee unit fixed by the Treasurer under section 5(3);
(b) in the case of a regulation made under subsection (1)(b)—
(i) to take effect on or before 1 July 2004, the regulation converts penalties in monetary amounts to penalty units by dividing the amount of the penalty by $100; or
(ii) to take effect after 1 July 2004, the regulation converts penalties in monetary amounts to penalty units by dividing the amount of the penalty by the value of a penalty unit fixed by the Treasurer under section 5(3);
(c) in the case of a regulation made under subsection (1)(c), the regulation converts fee units to the equivalent number of fee units having regard to the current value of a fee unit under this Act;
(d) in the case of a regulation made under subsection (1)(c), the regulation converts penalty units to the equivalent number of penalty units having regard to the current value of a penalty unit under this Act;
(e) in the case of a regulation made under subsection (1)(d), the regulation converts the monetary amount of a fee unit or penalty unit specified or referred to in the statutory rule to the equivalent monetary amount of that fee unit or penalty unit under this Act;
(f) in the case of a regulation made under subsection (1)(e), the regulation converts fee units to fees in monetary amounts by multiplying the amount of the fee unit by the value of a fee unit fixed by the Treasurer under section 5(3);
(g) in the case of a regulation made under subsection (1)(f), the regulation converts penalty units to penalties in monetary amounts by multiplying the amount of the penalty unit by the value of a penalty unit fixed by the Treasurer under section 5(3);
(h) in the case of a regulation made under subsection (1)(g), the regulation increases any fees that are less than the value of one fee unit by an amount not exceeding the cumulative annual rates fixed by the Treasurer under this Act for the period that the fee has had effect without any increase.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(a) and (b), in calculating the number of fee units or penalty units, the number of fee units or penalty units is deemed to be calculated in accordance with those provisions if the fee unit or penalty unit is rounded up to the next 2 decimal places.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (2)(f), in calculating the amount of a fee, the amount of the fee is deemed to be calculated in accordance with that provision if the fee is rounded to the nearest 10 cents.
(5) For the purposes of subsection (2)(g), in calculating the amount of a penalty, the amount of the penalty is deemed to be calculated in accordance with that provision if the penalty is rounded to the nearest dollar.
S. 10 amended by No. 6/2024 s. 7 (ILA s. 39B(1)).
10 Notification of fees and penalties
(1) The Minister responsible for administering an Act or a statutory rule that provides for fees or penalties by fee units or penalty units must take reasonable steps to ensure that notice of the monetary amounts of those fees and penalties calculated in accordance with section 7 are notified to the public generally or to the sector of the public likely to be affected by the fee or penalty.
S. 10(2) inserted by No. 6/2024 s. 7.
(2) The Minister responsible for administering an Act or a statutory rule under which a legislative instrument is made that provides for fees by fee units must take reasonable steps to ensure that notice of the monetary amounts of those fees calculated in accordance with section 7 are notified to the public generally or to the sector of the public likely to be affected by the fee.
S. 11 substituted by No. 33/2012 s. 3.
11 Provisions for 2012–2013
(1) Despite sections 5 and 6, for the financial year commencing on 1 July 2012—
(a) the value of a fee unit is $12.53; and
(b) the value of a penalty unit is $140.84.
(2) Any reference in this Act or any other Act or statutory rule to the value of a fee unit or penalty unit calculated in accordance with section 5(3) is to be treated for the financial year commencing on 1 July 2012 as a reference to the value of a fee unit or penalty unit as provided by subsection (1).
(3) Despite section 5, the annual rate for the financial year commencing on 1 July 2012 is taken to be 2⋅5%.
(4) Any reference in this Act or any other Act or statutory rule to the annual rate fixed in accordance with section 5(4) for the financial year commencing on 1 July 2012 is to be treated as a reference to the annual rate as provided by subsection (3).
12 Subordinate Legislation Act 1994
Nothing in the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994 applies to the fixing of—
(a) a fee or penalty unit in accordance with section 5 or 11; or
(b) an annual rate in accordance with section 5 or 11.
Ss 13–16 repealed by No. 70/2013 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 36).
Schs 1, 2 repealed by No. 70/2013 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 36).
Endnotes
1 General information
See www.legislation.vic.gov.au for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.
Minister's second reading speech—
Legislative Assembly: 5 March 2004
Legislative Council: 21 April 2004
The long title for the Bill for this Act was "to provide for fees and penalties to be fixed by reference to fee or penalty units that can be indexed annually by an amount to be fixed by the Treasurer, to amend the Sentencing Act 1991 and the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994 and to amend fees and penalties that are specified in certain Acts by monetary amounts and for other purposes."
The Monetary Units Act 2004 was assented to on 11 May 2004 and came into operation as follows:
Sections 1–3, 9, 11 and 12 on 11 May 2004: section 2(1); sections 4–8, 10, 13–16, Schedules 1 and 2 on 1 July 2004: section 2(2).
INTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)
Style changes
Section 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.
References to ILA s. 39B
Sidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided section or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subsections or subclauses, the original section or clause becomes subsection or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression "(1)" at the beginning of the original section or clause.
Interpretation
As from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:
• Headings
All headings included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any heading inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. This includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; sections; clauses; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms. See section 36(1A)(2A).
• Examples, diagrams or notes
All examples, diagrams or notes included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Act. See section 36(3A).
• Punctuation
All punctuation included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 forms part of that Act. Any punctuation inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. See section 36(3B).
• Provision numbers
All provision numbers included in an Act form part of that Act, whether inserted in the Act before, on or after 1 January 2001. Provision numbers include section numbers, subsection numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).
• Location of "legislative items"
A "legislative item" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of an Act is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.
• Other material
Any explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of an Act.
See section 36(3)(3D)(3E).
2 Table of Amendments
This publication incorporates amendments made to the Monetary Units Act 2004 by Acts and subordinate instruments.