66. Power to compound

The Board may, with the consent of the Public Prosecutor, offer in writing to compound any offence under this Act or any regulations made under this Act, and determined by the Minister to be a compoundable offence by regulations made under this Act, by accepting from the person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence such amount, not exceeding fifty per centum of the amount of the maximum fine for that offence to which that person would have been liable if he or it had been convicted of the offence, within such time as may be specified in the offer.

An offer under subsection (1) may be made at any time after the offence has been committed, but before any prosecution for it has been instituted, and if the amount specified in the offer is not paid within the time specified in the offer or within such extended period as the Board may grant, prosecution for the offence may be instituted at any time after that against the person to whom the offer was made.

Where an offence has been compounded under subsection (1), no prosecution shall be instituted in respect of the offence against the person to whom the offer to compound was made.

Any money received by the Board under this section shall be paid into and form part of the Federal Consolidated Fund.