New false accounting offences come into effect

This is the title of an article distributed by King & Wood Mallesons (KWM), Brisbane. KWM's article is about the introduction of '...two new criminal offences relating to "false dealing with accounting documents" into the Commonwealth Criminal Code as part of its efforts to strengthen its anti-bribery and corruption enforcement framework.'

KordaMentha Forensic welcomes this development. We have long held the view that a 'books and records' provision should be included in Australian foreign bribery legislation. In our submission to the Senate Economics References Committee into foreign bribery¹, we recommended that:

A books and records provision should be incorporated into Australia's foreign bribery legislation so that Australia's obligations (like those of Canada) under Article 8 of the OECD Convention are also met. The offence should also provide for sanctions that are equivalent to the bribe paying offence in order to achieve deterrence and facilitate