Section 227EFair Work Act 2009 (Cth)

No creation of liability to pay pecuniary penalty for past conduct

Application of this section

(1) This section applies if an amendment of an enterprise agreement made under paragraph 227B(3)(b) has a retrospective effect because it comes into operation on a day before the day on which the amendment is made.

No creation of liability to pay pecuniary penalty for past conduct

(2) If:

(a) a person engaged in conduct before the amendment was made; and

(b) but for the retrospective effect of the amendment, the conduct would not have contravened a term of the enterprise agreement;

a court must not order a person to pay a pecuniary penalty under Division 2 of Part 4‑1 in relation to the conduct, on the grounds that the conduct contravened a term of an enterprise agreement.

Note: This section does not affect the powers of a court to make other kinds of orders under Division 2 of Part 4‑1.

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 17 May 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au. Verify the current text against the official source before relying on it.

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