Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000

A police officer may exercise a power under section 48 in relation to a person at or near a regulated place if a police officer reasonably suspects the person’s presence is or has been—

causing anxiety to a person entering, at, or leaving the place, reasonably arising in all the circumstances; or

interfering with trade or business at the place by unnecessarily obstructing, hindering or impeding someone entering, at or leaving the place; or

disrupting the peaceable and orderly conduct of any event, entertainment or gathering at the place.

If the regulated place is a public place, subsection (1) applies in relation to a person at or near the public place only if the person’s presence has or had the effect mentioned in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) in—

for a public place in a safe night precinct or designated business and community precinct—any public place located in the precinct; or

for any other public place—that part of the public place at or near where the person then is.

Subsection (1)(b) applies to premises used for trade or business only if the occupier of the premises complains about the person’s presence.

However, subsections (1)(b) and (3) do not limit subsection (1)(a) and (c).

For this part, the person’s presence is a relevant act.