Peace and Good Behaviour Act 1982

The main object of this Act is to protect the safety, welfare, security, and peace and good order of the community from risks presented by people engaging in antisocial, disorderly or criminal conduct.

Other objects of this Act are to—

disrupt and restrict the activities of criminals; and

deter criminals from establishing, maintaining or expanding a criminal network; and

ensure premises in which criminals habitually gather are unable to be used for antisocial, disorderly or criminal conduct; and

ensure premises habitually used by criminals, or connected with serious criminal activity, do not become excessively fortified; and

prevent intimidation of the public by criminals; and

protect the community’s enjoyment of safe and secure neighbourhood environments and public spaces.

The objects are achieved by—

giving jurisdiction to magistrates to make orders that—

require a person to keep the peace and be of good behaviour; or

prevent a person, or group of persons, from doing particular things in relation to a particular area or event, or particular premises; or

prevent disorderly activities from taking place at particular premises; or

require the removal of excessive fortifications from particular premises; and

giving power to commissioned officers to make orders, of a duration of no more than 7 days, to prevent a person, or group of persons, from doing particular things in relation to a particular area or event, or particular premises; and

giving powers to the police service to ensure the effectiveness of the orders mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b).

It is not the Parliament’s intention that powers under this Act be exercised in a way that diminishes the freedom of persons in the State to participate in advocacy, protest, dissent or industrial action.

In this section—

a recognised offender; or

an associate of a recognised offender; or

a participant in a criminal organisation; or

a person subject to a control order.