Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) A regulated person must give a person (the client ) each information statement for a class of CGS depository interests if:
(a) the regulated person provides financial product advice to the client that consists of, or includes, a recommendation that the client acquire a CGS depository interest of that class; and
(b) the financial product advice is provided to the client as a retail client; and
(c) the financial product advice is personal advice to the client.
Each information statement must be given at or before the time when the regulated person provides the advice and must be given in accordance with this Division.
Note: If the recommendation is to acquire CGS depository interests of a class for which there is an information statement and that is a subset of a wider class of CGS depository interests for which there is another information statement, the regulated person must give the client both information statements.
(2) However, the regulated person does not have to give the client an information statement for a class of CGS depository interests if:
(a) the client has already received that statement; or
(b) the regulated person reasonably believes that the client has received that statement.
Strict liability offence of failing to give statement
(3) A regulated person commits an offence if:
(a) the regulated person is required by this section to give another person an information statement for a class of CGS depository interests; and
(b) the regulated person does not give the other person, in accordance with section 1020AK, that statement by the time the regulated person is required to do so.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (2). See subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .
(4) An offence based on subsection (3) is an offence of strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code .
Ordinary offence of failing to give statement
(5) A regulated person commits an offence if:
(a) the regulated person is required by this section to give another person an information statement for a class of CGS depository interests; and
(b) the regulated person does not give the other person, in accordance with section 1020AK, that statement by the time the regulated person is required to do so.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (2).
Defence for authorised representative
(6) In any proceedings against an authorised representative of a financial services licensee for an offence based on subsection (3) or (5), it is a defence if:
(a) the licensee had provided the representative with information or instructions about the giving of information statements for a class of CGS depository interests; and
(b) the representative's failure to give an information statement for that class occurred because the representative was acting in reliance on that information or those instructions; and
(c) the representative's reliance on that information or those instructions was reasonable.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in subsection (6). See subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .
Offence of failing to ensure authorised representative gives statement
(7) A financial services licensee commits an offence if the licensee does not take reasonable steps to ensure that an authorised representative of the licensee complies with the representative's obligations under this section to give each information statement for a class of CGS depository interests as and when required by this section.