As of 7 November 2024, the Commonwealth penalty unit has increased from $313 to $330. A penalty unit is a way the government decides how much a fine should be. Instead of listing a fine as a set amount, they use penalty units, which can go up or down over time. For example, if breaking a rule costs 5 penalty units, the fine used to be $1,565 (5 x $313), but now it will be $1,650 (5 x $330). This change, in Section 4AA of the Crimes Act 1914, means fines for breaking environmental laws will now be higher.