Bar associations have called for exemptions to tough anti-money laundering rules, arguing proposed laws to enforce greater due diligence and expand reporting obligations will reduce the number of advocates, drive up costs and hit access to justice.

In submissions to a Senate inquiry into the legislation, six barristers’ associations said the current drafting of the bill paved the way for unnecessary duplication. The barristers say that given solicitors will be forced to do background checks on clients, there is no reason for them to repeat the work.