Text as at 4 March 2026

This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.

6 Direction to move on

(1)A police officer, or a protective services officer on duty at a designated place, may give a direction to a person or persons in a public place to leave the public place, or part of the public place, if the police officer or protective services officer suspects on reasonable grounds that—

S. 6(1) amended by Nos 43/2011 s. 48(2), 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 160.2).S. 6(1)(d)–(h) inserted by No. 15/2014 s. 3(2), repealed by No. 6/2015 s. 4(2).

(a)the person is or persons are breaching, or likely to breach, the peace; or

(b)the person is or persons are endangering, or likely to endanger, the safety of any other person; or

(c)the behaviour of the person or persons is likely to cause injury to a person or damage to property or is otherwise a risk to public safety.

S. 6(1)(c) amended by Nos 15/2014 s. 3(1), 6/2015 s. 4(1).

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(2)A direction under this section may be given orally.

S. 6(2) amended by Nos 15/2014 s. 3(4), 6/2015 s. 4(4).

(3)A direction under this section may direct the person or persons not to return to the public place or part of a public place or not to be in that public place or part for a specified period of not more than 24 hours.

(4)A person must not without reasonable excuse contravene a direction given to the person under this section. Penalty: 5 penalty units.

(4A)A protective services officer may only exercise the power to give a direction under this section in relation to a person who is at a public place that is at, or in the vicinity of, a designated place.

S. 6(4A) inserted by No. 45/2017 s. 57(1).

(5)This section does not apply in relation to a person who, whether in the company of other persons or not, is—

S. 6(5) amended by Nos 15/2014 s. 3(5), 6/2015 s. 4(5).

(a)picketing a place of employment; or

(b)demonstrating or protesting about a particular issue; or

(c)speaking, bearing or otherwise identifying with a banner, placard or sign or otherwise behaving in a way that is apparently intended to publicise the person's view about a particular issue.

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