Apr.16, 2010, 4:56PM

THE Federal Government is cracking down on money laundering and terrorism financing with new laws that would deregister organisations involved in dodgy money transfer services.

The new rules would allow Australia's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator to remove a person's name and details from the register of providers of designated remittance services.

Money transfer service providers must be registered to operate legally.

Announcing the new laws, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor stressed that the new powers given to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) were targeted at preventing serious crimes and will not affect the majority of providers.

"The new rules will reduce the risk of money remitters facilitating access to funds for money laundering, terrorism financing, and other serious crimes such as people smuggling," Mr O'Connor said.

"These changes will combat the abuse of Australia's financial system by those who seek to profit from crime."

The new rules are effective from today.

The new Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules also allows money transfer service providers to form a designated business group.

"This particular amendment will be beneficial to relevant businesses as they will be able to take advantage of the efficiencies which result from being able to form a designated business group," Mr O'Connor said.

The structure allows associated businesses to share customer identity information, have a joint anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing program.

It also allows a member of the group to lodge group compliance reports and allow a member to discharge various record-keeping obligations under the laws.