Section 245AS — Migration Act 1958: Prohibition on offering to provide or providing a benefit in return for the occurrence of a sponsorship-related event

(1) A person (the first person) contravenes this subsection if: (a) the first person offers to provide, or provides, a benefit to another person (the second person); and (b) the first person offers to provide, or provides, the benefit in return for the occurrence of a sponsorship-related event. Civil penalty: 240 penalty units. (2) To avoid doubt, the first person contravenes subsection (1) even if the sponsorship-related event does not occur. (3) Subsection (1) does not apply if the benefit is a payment of a reasonable amount for a professional service that has been provided, or is to be provided, by the second person or a third person. (4) A person who wishes to rely on subsection (3) in proceedings for a civil penalty order bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in that subsection. Note: It is not necessary to prove a person’s state of mind in proceedings for a civil penalty order (see section 486ZF).