Currency Legislation (Royal Australian Mint) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1)

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au F2012L01853 In force Legislative Instrument

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Explanatory Statement

 

Currency Act 1965

 

Currency Legislation (Royal Australian Mint) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1)

 

 

Under subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965, the then Assistant Treasurer, Bill Shorten made a determination in August 2011 regarding the specifications of coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint.  The determination is the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2011 (No. 3).

 

Also under subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965, the then Assistant Treasurer, Mark Arbib made a determination in January 2012 regarding the specifications of coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint.  The determination is the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2012 (No. 1).

 

Subsection 13A (1) of the Currency Act 1965 requires that the determination provides details of the coins’ characteristics, including standard composition, standard weight, allowable variation from standard weight, design and dimensions.

 

This amendment determination is a disallowable instrument for the purposes of section 42 of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. 

 

Amendment of Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2011 (No. 3)

 

  • Due to an administrative oversight during the preparation Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2011 (No. 3) the allowable variation from the standard weight for Item 42 of Schedule 1, Part 1 was incorrect in the text of the determination. Further, Schedule 1, Part 1, Item 43 contained a typographical error in the way the allowable variation from the standard weight was expressed.
  • Due to technical complications during manufacturing, the Royal Australian Mint also redesigned the representation of branches in the reverse design of Item 38 of Schedule 1, Part 2 in Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2011 (No. 3).
  • These oversights have been corrected by Section 3 and Schedule 1 of Currency Legislation (Royal Australian Mint) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1).

 

Amendment of Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2012 (No. 1)

 

  • Due to an administrative oversight during the preparation of Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2012 (No. 1), the standard weight and allowable variation, the maximum diameter and the maximum thickness for Item 5 of Schedule 1, Part 1 were incorrect in the text of the determination.
  • These errors have been corrected by Section 4 and Schedule 2 of Currency Legislation (Royal Australian Mint) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1.)

 

 

 

Commencement

 

Sections 1 to 3 and Schedule 1 is taken to have commenced on 13 August 2011.

 

Section 4 and Schedule 2 is taken to have commenced on 31 January 2012.

 

The proposed amendments do not contravene subsection 12 (2) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 by having either of the following effects:

(a)   affecting the rights of a person (other than the Commonwealth or an authority of the Commonwealth) as at the date of registration so as to disadvantage that person; or

(b)   imposing liabilities on a person (other than the Commonwealth or an authority of the Commonwealth) in respect of anything done or omitted to be done before the date of registration.

 

Consultation

 

No public consultation was undertaken in relation to the currency determination. The effect of this instrument is to determine the weight, design and dimension of coins to enable the Royal Australian Mint to continue its production of circulating and numismatic coins. The Mint receives public submissions on coin designs and determines appropriate designs in accordance with its Coin Design Policy. The Mint used market based tools to identify interested parties and gauge interest in coin themes.

 

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

 

This instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011. The purpose of the Currency Legislation (Royal Australian Mint) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1) is to determine the weight, design and dimension of circulating and numismatic coins. This instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms. This instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues. This determination has been made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Bernie Ripoll, in accordance with subsection 13A (1) of the Currency Act 1965.

 

Overview

The Currency Legislation (Royal Australian Mint) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1) amends two previously made determinations under the Currency Act 1965, addressing administrative errors and technical complications in the specifications of coins to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint. This legislative instrument, made by the then Assistant Treasurer, Mark Arbib, under subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965, rectifies inaccuracies in allowable weight variations and design representations in the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2011 (No. 3), and corrects errors in the standard weight and dimensions for specific coins in the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2012 (No. 1). The determination is designed to ensure that the specifications of Australian coins meet the required standards, enabling the Royal Australian Mint to continue its production of circulating and numismatic coins effectively.

Scope and Application

The Currency Legislation (Royal Australian Mint) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1) amends the specifications of coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint, as required by subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965. This determination applies to the entities and conduct involved in the production of circulating and numismatic coins by the Royal Australian Mint, specifically addressing errors in the previously issued Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2011 (No. 3) and Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2012 (No. 1). It encompasses corrections to the allowable variation from standard weight, typographical errors, and redesigns of coin features. The geographic and jurisdictional reach of this Act is limited to the Commonwealth of Australia, applying to the Royal Australian Mint and its operations within Australia. The amendments do not affect the rights or impose liabilities on individuals or entities other than the Commonwealth or its authorities in relation to activities conducted prior to the date of registration. The determination was made without public consultation, focusing on administrative corrections necessary for the Mint's coin production processes.

Key Provisions

The Currency Legislation (Royal Australian Mint) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1) amends two previous determinations regarding the specifications of coins issued by the Royal Australian Mint. Section 3 of this determination corrects an administrative oversight in the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2011 (No. 3), specifically the incorrect allowable variation from the standard weight for Item 42 of Schedule 1, Part 1, and a typographical error in the allowable variation for Item 43. It also corrects a redesign of the reverse design for Item 38 of Schedule 1, Part 2 due to technical manufacturing complications. Section 4 and Schedule 2 correct errors in the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2012 (No. 1), including the incorrect standard weight and allowable variation, maximum diameter and thickness for Item 5 of Schedule 1, Part 1. The parties governed by this legislation are primarily the Royal Australian Mint, which is responsible for producing the coins in accordance with the amended specifications. This determination mandates that the Mint adhere to the corrected details of coin characteristics, including standard composition, standard weight, allowable variation from standard weight, design and dimensions. The Mint must ensure that the coins produced meet these specifications to maintain the integrity of the currency and comply with the requirements of the Currency Act 1965. Failure to comply with the specifications outlined in this determination could potentially lead to the production of coins that do not meet legal standards. Although the determination itself does not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for non-compliance, such deviations could result in broader legal and financial implications for the Mint, such as the need to recall and replace non-compliant coins, which would incur costs and logistical challenges. The Mint's adherence to these specifications is critical to avoid any legal repercussions that might arise from producing substandard currency.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.