Shopping centres, parks and other public spaces are used by young people to hang out, meet friends and get from place to place.  Young people and the things they do are often judged because they are in groups and use public space differently to adults.  These views alongside the way they dress, the way they look, and what they do all impact on how they are treated.   

When can the police ask me to ‘move on’? 

You can be asked to move on if the police ‘reasonably suspect’ that your behaviour (or just you being where you are): 

• is causing or has caused anxiety to someone and it is not unreasonable for them to feel anxious in the circumstances; 

• is or has been getting in the way of people going in or out of somewhere;  

• is disrupting or has disrupted an event, entertainment or a gathering place 

• and you are in or near: 

• a ‘public place’  

• a ‘prescribed place’ – places which are named in the ‘move on’ laws 

• any Government owned place that has its own laws which say you can be moved on: for example, Southbank Parklands.  

The police can also move you on at these places if they believe your behaviour is, or has been, disorderly, indecent, offensive or threatening (for example swearing at or threatening someone going into or leaving places like shopping centres).  

What is a ‘public place’ ? 

• anywhere which is not owned specifically by someone where people are legally able to go such as a road, park or beach;   

• anywhere which is private property but which is often open to the public such as a café, shopping centre, restaurant or cinema.  

What is a ‘prescribed place’? 

• Shop 

• Child care centre, preschool and school 

• Hotel or place that sells alcohol 

• Railway station or land 

• ATM 

• Mall, for example 

• Brisbane – China Town 

• Brisbane – City Mall 

• Ipswich – Ipswich Mall 

• Townsville – Townsville Mall 

• Gold Coast – Cavill Avenue 

• Racecourse 

• War Memorial. 

For example, you can be moved on by a police officer if a shop owner complains and you are blocking the entrance to a shop or disrupting the business in another way. 

What happens if the police want to move me on? 

If a police officer reasonably believes the situation allows them to direct you to move on, then the police officer can direct you to leave the area for up to 24 hours. The police officer must tell you why you are being moved on.  If you do not leave then the police can charge you with not complying with a lawful direction.   If you are charged with this, you should get some legal advice before you go to court. 

The police officers can only move you a reasonable distance away. It is not reasonable to move you 100m if you are blocking the doorway of a shop, for example.  

Can security officers and local council officers move me on? 

Generally, security and local council officers do not have the powers of police officers to move you from public or private places, but they can ask you to leave and call the police if you do not go.  

‘Protective services officers’ who provide security for Government buildings and connected surrounding areas, have similar powers of police to move you on.  They can do this if you: 

• Behave in a disorderly, indecent, offensive or threatening way to persons entering, at or leaving the building; or 

• Refuse to provide your name, address and reason for entering the building; or 

• Refuse the officer’s request to be subject to security screening processes; or 

• Do not have a lawful reason to enter or be at the building.  

If the protective services officer reasonably believes the situation allows them to move you on, they can direct you to leave the building or its outside precincts for up to 24 hours and use reasonable force if necessary to remove you from the building.  

What should I do if asked to move on?  

Remember to try to stay cool and calm. You can ask the police why you are being moved on. It is a good idea to write down or record everything you remember about what happened in case you want to do something about it later. Information that you can write down or record can include: 

• Date and time  

• Where it happened 

• What happened: 

• Name of anyone who saw what happened 

• Name and badge number of police officer  

Treated unfairly? 

If you think the police treated you unfairly in moving you on, you can contact YAC on 3356 1002 for further information and advice. 

If you want to complain about being moved on by security or the way you were treated by security, you should contact the Office of Fair Trading on 13 74 68.