Austrac has tabled the new Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules 2025 in Parliament. Background.

The new Rules will commence for current reporting entities on 31 March 2026, except for threshold transaction reporting and suspicious matter reporting which will remain the same until 2029.

Obligations for tranche 2 entities will commence on 1 July 2026.

The new AML/CTF Rules framework includes:
(a) the making of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules 2025, which replaces many of the provisions in the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules Instrument 2007 and operationalises the amended AML/CTF Act; and
(b) the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules (Class Exemption and Other Matters) 2007 (the Class Exemption Rules), formerly titled the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules Instrument 2007 has been amended and renamed. The only chapters preserved are Chapters 1, 21, 22, 31, 39, 42, 43, 45, 47, 48, 49, and 67.

The AML/CTF Rules 2025 format reflects the order of engagement a reporting entity will have with the AML/CTF regime. It supports the amended AML/CTF Act by:

• providing reporting entities with detail on fundamental AML/CTF obligations set out in the AML/CTF Act, for example, reporting groups, AML/CTF programs and customer due diligence obligations.
• specifying information required to meet specific obligations—particularly for enrolment, registration, suspicious matter reporting, threshold transaction reporting, keep open notices, and the transfer of value.
• re-writing in simpler terms, existing measures that have not substantively changed such as correspondent banking relationships and AML/CTF compliance reporting requirements.

AUSTRAC has also published a renumbering table to assist with navigating changes from the consultation draft.

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Author: David Jacobson
Principal, Bright Corporate Law
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About David Jacobson
The information contained in this article is not legal advice. It is not to be relied upon as a full statement of the law. You should seek professional advice for your specific needs and circumstances before acting or relying on any of the content.