# Secretary or Australian Border Force Commissioner may freeze amounts to secure future debts

> act-s267 — as in force on 2026-06-04 — C2026C00232 · Compilation No. 171 — https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2026C00232/latest/text

267 Secretary or Australian Border Force Commissioner may freeze
          amounts to secure future debts
          (1) If there is a future debt in relation to a person (future debtor), the
              Secretary or Australian Border Force Commissioner may by
              written notice given to another person:
                (a) from whom any money is due or accruing, or may become
                     due, to the future debtor; or
                (b) who holds, or may later hold, money for or on account of the
                     future debtor; or
                (c) who holds, or may later hold, money on account of some
                     other person for payment to the future debtor; or
                (d) who has authority from some other person to pay money to
                     the future debtor;
              require the other person to retain for the period, not exceeding 28
              days, specified in that notice:
                (e) an amount specified in the notice, not exceeding the future
                     debt or the amount of the relevant money; or
                 (f) such amount as is specified in the notice out of each payment
                     that the person becomes liable from time to time to make to
                     the future debtor until that debt is paid.
          (2) If the future debtor is in Australia when the Secretary or Australian
              Border Force Commissioner gives the notice, the Secretary or
              Australian Border Force Commissioner must give a copy of the
              notice to the future debtor.
          (3) If, after the notice is given to a person, an amount is paid by
              another person in respect of the future debt, the Secretary or
              Australian Border Force Commissioner must notify the person








               given the notice accordingly, and the amount specified in the
               notice is taken to be reduced by the amount paid.
          (4) If money is not due, or repayable, to a person on demand unless a
              condition is fulfilled, the money is taken, for the purposes of this
              section, to be due or repayable on demand even though the
              condition has not been fulfilled.