56Treatment of partnerships

56 Treatment of partnerships

(1) This Act and the rules apply to a partnership as if it were a person, but with the changes set out in this section. (2) An obligation that would otherwise be imposed on the partnership by this Act or the rules is imposed on each partner instead, but may be discharged by any of the partners. (3) If this Act or the rules would otherwise permit something to be done by the partnership, the thing may be done by one or more of the partners on behalf of the partnership. (4) An offence against this Act that would otherwise have been committed by the partnership is taken to have been committed by each partner in the partnership, at the time the offence was committed, who: (a) did the relevant act or made the relevant omission; or (b) aided, abetted, counselled or procured the relevant act or omission; or (c) was in any way knowingly concerned in, or party to, the relevant act or omission (whether directly or indirectly and whether by any act or omission of the partner). (5) A civil penalty provision of this Act that would otherwise have been contravened by the partnership is taken to have been contravened by each partner in the partnership, at the time the provision was contravened, who: (a) did the relevant act or made the relevant omission; or (b) aided, abetted, counselled or procured the relevant act or omission; or (c) was in any way knowingly concerned in, or party to, the relevant act or omission (whether directly or indirectly and whether by any act or omission of the partner). (6) For the purposes of this Act and the rules, a change in the composition of a partnership does not affect the continuity of the partnership.