A person guilty of an offence against the Commonwealth Marriage Act, 1961, is liable to a heavy penalty. Penalties include imprisonment and/or fines of up to $500 and $1,000 for such offences as:

• A person who is married shall not go through a form of ceremony of marriage with any person, section 94(1).
• A person shall not go through a form of marriage ceremony with a person who is not of marriageable age, section 95(1).
• A person shall not wilfully make a false statement in a declaration under the Commonwealth Marriage Act, 1961, section 96(1).