meta_id 2997743

On 24 March 2026, Australia's Department of Home Affairs brought into force the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (Class Exemptions and Other Matters) Amendment Rules 2026. The amendment modifies class exemptions and related provisions under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (AML/CTF Act). The amendment rules establish or modify exemptions from AML/CTF obligations for specified classes of entities or transactions. Class exemptions allow certain reporting entities to be excluded from full compliance requirements under the AML/CTF Act where they present lower money laundering and terrorism financing risks. The Department of Home Affairs administers these rules to ensure the regulatory framework remains appropriately calibrated to risk profiles across the financial system and designated non-financial businesses and professions. The amendment came into force on 24 March 2026 and is now in effect. Entities subject to AML/CTF obligations should review the amended rules to determine whether they qualify for any newly established or modified class exemptions, which may affect their compliance obligations and reporting requirements under the AML/CTF Act. The legislative instrument is available in both Word and PDF formats through the Federal Register of Legislation, alongside a comprehensive explanatory statement detailing the rationale and scope of the amendments. REFERENCES: Federal Register of Legislation. Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (Class Exemptions and Other Matters) Amendment Rules 2026. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.au/