Who was sanctioned, and for what?

The Federal Court of Australia, on application by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC, Australia's corporate, markets and financial services regulator), imposed a penalty of 20.5 million AUD on the exchange operator because a market announcement of 10 February 2022 stated that the project to replace its CHESS clearing and settlement system was progressing well. About six weeks later ASX announced a likely delay and paused the project in November 2022; in June 2026 it admitted contraventions of ss 12DA and 12DB of the ASIC Act.

Authority / court

Federal Court of Australia (auf Antrag der Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASIC)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) ss 12DA, 12DB(1)(a) und (e)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Published

3 Jul 2026

Original amount 20,500,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 3 Jul 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The Supreme Court of Victoria sentenced Risham Nominees Pty Ltd, operator of Centenary Bakehouse, after a guilty plea for workplace manslaughter to a fine of 3.4 million AUD, the highest penalty to date for a single offence under the workplace safety laws of the state of Victoria. During ceiling works at the bakery in Reservoir in August 2021, a worker fell around four metres and suffered fatal head injuries. The company had taken no measures against falls and did not require the use of harnesses that were available, although an independent scaffold would have been reasonably practicable.

Authority / court

WorkSafe Victoria

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Workplace-Manslaughter-Bestimmungen des Arbeitsschutzrechts von Victoria (fahrlässiges Verhalten unter Verletzung einer geschuldeten Pflicht mit Todesfolge)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Culpability

negligent

Mitigating circumstances

Guilty plea.

Published

25 Jun 2026

Original amount 3,400,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 25 Jun 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

NSW Fair Trading (the consumer protection regulator of New South Wales) reprimanded used car dealer OzCar Pty Ltd on 22 June 2026 and imposed conditions on its dealer licence. The regulator refers to the maximum available in disciplinary proceedings and does not state the amount imposed on the company. The investigation found a pattern of dishonest conduct between 2023 and 2025; among other things, customers reported being pressured into signing or misled about the purpose of contracts, that contracts were not properly explained – including to particularly vulnerable buyers – and that vehicles of unacceptable quality were sold. Among other things, the company must introduce a compliance programme with training for sales staff, may no longer allow waivers of the statutory cooling-off right to be pre-filled, and must fix defects affecting safety or reliability before sale.

Authority / court

NSW Fair Trading

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail · Misleading advertising and pricing

Legal basis

Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 (NSW), s 45(1)(a), (b), (d) und (d1)(ii)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Automotive

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Published

24 Sep 2026

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Monash IVF collected sensitive information about visitors to its fertility treatment website through third-party tracking pixels. The Privacy Commissioner held that following the visitors of health-related websites and afterwards showing them targeted adverts on social networks amounts to collecting sensitive data, which requires consent, and found breaches of APP 3.3, 5.1, 5.2 and 7.1. Monash IVF must not continue or repeat the conduct and must implement specified remedial steps; a parallel determination against the telehealth provider Medmate Australia was made on the same day.

Authority / court

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Area of law

Data protection · Cookies and tracking

Legal basis

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), APP 3.3, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Healthcare

Published

24 Jun 2026

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The online retailer sold household appliances and electronics on instalments and, between September 2021 and February 2025, calculated interest in more than 38,000 credit contracts on the total contract amount instead of the unpaid balance; customers paid almost AUD 20 million too much as a result. Sample contracts also exceeded the statutory annual cost rate cap of 48%. The Court imposed AUD 32 million for the interest calculation and AUD 1.5 million for exceeding the cap, and ordered publication of a notice.

Authority / court

Federal Court of Australia (auf Antrag der Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASIC)

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail

Legal basis

s 24(1) National Credit Code (Anhang 1 zum National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth)) i. V. m. ss 23(1), 28, 32A(1)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Retail and e-commerce

Published

18 May 2026

Original amount 33,500,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 May 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In two incidents in July and August 2022 around 423,000 litres of untreated sewage escaped in Carramar because plant had not been properly maintained, affecting a residential property, a sports field, bushland and Prospect Creek. After a guilty plea, the Land and Environment Court convicted Sydney Water and imposed AUD 225,000 for breaching its environment protection licence and AUD 15,000 for failing without lawful excuse to provide CCTV footage requested by the EPA.

Authority / court

NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA NSW) / Land and Environment Court of NSW

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Bedingungen der Environment Protection Licence; Pflicht zur Vorlage von Informationen und Unterlagen gegenüber der EPA NSW

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Energy and utilities

Mitigating circumstances

25% discount for an early guilty plea.

Published

7 May 2026

Original amount 240,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 7 May 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Following an investigation by SafeWork NSW, the District Court of NSW fined LiveBetter Services Limited 675,000 AUD for a breach of ss 32/19(2) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. In February 2022, a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was placed in a bath with excessively hot water, suffered serious burns and died from her injuries.

Authority / court

SafeWork NSW

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) ss 32/19(2)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Healthcare

Original amount 675,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 30 Apr 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The Privacy Commissioner found that the rental application platform 2Apply collected more personal information than necessary from March 2020 to March 2025, such as gender, student status, citizenship, visa expiry and previous living arrangements, and did so unfairly through design techniques such as “confirmshaming”, biased framing and bundled consent. The determination requires IRE to stop this collection within 60 days, engage an independent reviewer and report to the OAIC within twelve months on implementing the recommendations.

Authority / court

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Area of law

Data protection · Data subject rights and transparency

Legal basis

APP 3.2 und APP 3.5 (Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)); Feststellungen nach s 52(1A)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Telecoms, IT and software

Mitigating circumstances

IRE adapted its collection practices during the investigation without admitting a breach.

Published

22 Apr 2026

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Singtel Optus asked customers who ported their number to Optus whether they wanted to appear in the phone directory, but between October 2015 and September 2019 it did not act on requests for an unlisted number, so that 41,278 affected customers remained published in the White Pages. The Privacy Commissioner found a breach of APP 11.1 because Optus did not remove a risk of errors it had been aware of throughout the period with reasonable steps such as regular system reconciliations, and declared that the company must not repeat this conduct. The regulator intends to decide on compensation separately in a representative complaint concerning the same conduct.

Authority / court

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Area of law

Data protection · Data breaches and data security

Legal basis

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) s 13(1), APP 11.1; Erklärung nach s 52(1A)(a)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Telecoms, IT and software

Published

11 Jun 2026

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In June and July 2020 contractors of the state-owned forestry corporation felled six giant trees and three hollow-bearing trees in Wild Cattle Creek State Forest near Coffs Harbour that should have been retained under the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operation Approval. On the EPA’s prosecution, the Land and Environment Court convicted the corporation and found harm to koala habitat and cultural harm to the Gumbaynggirr people; following a restorative justice conference, the AUD 450,000 penalty goes to the Yurruungga Aboriginal Corporation for remediation projects. The corporation must also commission an independent audit of its procedures and publish the conviction.

Authority / court

NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA NSW) / Land and Environment Court of NSW

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Coastal Integrated Forestry Operation Approval (NSW)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Public sector

Repeat case

yes

Published

16 Mar 2026

Original amount 450,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 16 Mar 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

On 30 January 2026 the Perth Magistrates Court convicted Jim's Realty Pty Ltd on 35 charges – client money not credited to the trust account, unlawful withdrawals, improper records and tenancy bonds lodged late or not at all – and fined it 225,000 AUD plus 577.50 AUD in costs. A forensic audit commissioned by Consumer Protection WA (the consumer protection division of Western Australia) had identified 57 unexplained withdrawals totalling more than 334,915 AUD. According to the regulator it is the largest fine ever imposed on an estate agency in Western Australia; the company has been in liquidation since 2024.

Authority / court

Consumer Protection WA (Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety) / Perth Magistrates Court

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail

Legal basis

Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978 (WA); Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Construction and real estate

Culpability

intentional

Repeat case

yes

Mitigating circumstances

None; according to the release, the court found no mitigating factors despite the liquidation.

Published

11 Feb 2026

Original amount 225,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 30 Jan 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

NSW Fair Trading (the consumer protection regulator of New South Wales) cancelled the motor dealer licence of Atom Motorss Pty Ltd on 17 November 2025 and disqualified the company for five years. Measures against individuals are not set out here. According to the release, the company had traded as a motor dealer without a licence and, when selling vehicles to consumers, had given false information from the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR, the register of security interests in personal property) in the prescribed dealer forms.

Authority / court

NSW Fair Trading

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail · Misleading advertising and pricing

Legal basis

Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 (NSW), s 45(1)(f) und (g); zugrunde liegende Verstöße gegen den Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 und das Australian Consumer Law

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Automotive

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Published

12 Mar 2026

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In October 2022 the roof of an industrial cool room gave way while seven workers were moving equipment on it; they fell around five metres into the cool room. The Industrial Court convicted the company of breaching its health and safety duty with a fine of AUD 480,000 and of breaching s 46 of the WHS Act with a further AUD 20,000, a total of AUD 500,000.

Authority / court

SafeWork NSW / Industrial Court of NSW

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

ss 32, 19(1) und s 46 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Other

Published

31 Mar 2026

Original amount 500,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 31 Oct 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In July 2022 a 56-year-old worker in the palletising area of a JBS Australia site was struck by a forklift and seriously injured in the leg. Following a SafeWork NSW investigation, the District Court convicted the company of breaching its health and safety duty and fined it AUD 330,000.

Authority / court

SafeWork NSW / District Court of NSW

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

ss 32, 19(1) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Published

31 Mar 2026

Original amount 330,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 29 Oct 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In 2022, during a large data migration project, the online wine retailer suffered unauthorised access to a database holding data on around 928,760 customers and members (identity, contact and financial information). The Privacy Commissioner found that Vinomofo had not taken reasonable steps to protect the data, although it had been aware of deficiencies in its security governance at least two years before the incident, and ordered it not to repeat these practices, together with specified remedial steps.

Authority / court

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Area of law

Data protection · Data breaches and data security

Legal basis

APP 11.1 (Privacy Act 1988 (Cth))

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Retail and e-commerce

Published

29 Oct 2025

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

A County Court jury convicted SKM Services Pty Ltd of aggravated pollution – having negligently caused or allowed an environmental hazard that created a considerable risk of serious danger to public health – and of three counts of air pollution; the company was fined 1.14 million AUD. The 2017 fire at the recycling plant in Coolaroo had spread through stockpiles of cardboard and other recyclables, burned for more than a week and led to evacuations in the neighbourhood; according to the court's findings, the company and its director contributed to the extent of the pollution by increasing the volumes stored although an earlier fire had reduced the processing capacity. Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Authority / court

Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA Victoria)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Waste and hazardous substances

Legal basis

Environment Protection Act 1970 (Vic): schwere Umweltverschmutzung (aggravated pollution), Luftverschmutzung

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Other

Culpability

negligent

Liability of senior managers

Measures against individuals are not set out here.

Published

16 Apr 2025

Original amount 1,140,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 16 Apr 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

From July 2013 to March 2023 the trustee of Australia’s largest superannuation fund did not merge the duplicate accounts of around 90,700 members, although s 108A of the SIS Act requires this; members lost around AUD 69 million through duplicate fees, insurance premiums and lost earnings. The Court found a breach of fundamental trustee obligations and imposed AUD 27 million; all affected members have been remediated.

Authority / court

Federal Court of Australia (auf Antrag der Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASIC)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Organisational requirements

Legal basis

ss 52, 108A Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Mitigating circumstances

Self-report of potential breaches to ASIC in December 2021; remediation of all affected members.

Liability of senior managers

According to the judgment, issues were not escalated and senior management oversight was absent; under-resourcing delayed the remedy.

Published

21 Feb 2025

Original amount 27,000,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 21 Feb 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

From October 2021 Bit Trade offered more than 1,100 Australian customers a “margin extension” product, which the Court classified as a credit facility, without having made the required target market determination. Customers paid more than USD 7 million in fees and interest and suffered trading losses of more than USD 5 million. The Court imposed AUD 8 million; it was the first penalty for a missing target market determination.

Authority / court

Federal Court of Australia (auf Antrag der Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASIC)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Organisational requirements

Legal basis

Design and Distribution Obligations des Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Pflicht zur Target Market Determination)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Financial services and insurance

Published

12 Dec 2024

Original amount 8,000,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 12 Dec 2024.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link