Asked to move on in the Australian Capital Territory?

What the legislation that applies in the Australian Capital Territory says about a police direction to leave a public place — who can give one, how long it can keep you away, and what happens if you do not go.

Right now, being safe beats being right. If someone is asking you to move, you can move and challenge it later. That route keeps you out of trouble; arguing on the spot rarely does. Write down what happened as soon as you can — time, place, who, and what they said.

What the Act says

Read from the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) and the Australian Capital Territory National Land (Unleased) Ordinance 2022 (Cth), section by section.

s 175 and s 179, republication No 155 effective 23 February 2026 — ACT police may direct a person to leave an area and stay out of it for not more than 6 hours, if they reasonably believe the person has recently engaged in, is engaged in or is likely to engage in conduct involving violence, intimidation or property damage, or conduct that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety. Failing to comply without a reasonable excuse carries a maximum penalty of 2 penalty units.

s 69(1), compilation No. 1, 1 April 2025 — On unleased National Land, a police officer who reasonably suspects a person of committing or attempting an offence under Part 5 of the Ordinance (other than leaving gates open) may prevent it, and may remove the person, and a vehicle there as a result of the suspected offence, with such force as is necessary and reasonable.

What this page does not tell you

Only the police powers above have been read against the Australian Capital Territory's legislation. Whether anyone other than police — a council or government officer, a security guard or a landholder — can require you to leave is a different question under different law, and this site has not read it for the Australian Capital Territory — so it does not answer it. An absence here is not a finding that nobody else can ask you to go.

Other states draft this differently enough that their wording would mislead you: how the jurisdictions compare.

Wherever you are

If you have nowhere else to go tonight, that is the more urgent problem and it has its own page: the services that can help you find a bed, by state. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.

Whatever a page says, the sign in front of you and the person standing there are the immediate facts. This site publishes legal information, not legal advice — it describes what the law says in general, never what you should do in your situation.

Sleeping in your car in the Australian Capital Territory

Where this comes from

• “This section applies if a police officer reasonably believes that a person (whether part of a group or not) has recently engaged in, is engaged in, or is likely in the immediate future to engage in, conduct—” “violence towards, or intimidation of, a person; or” “damage to property; or” “that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety.” “immediately leave an area specified by the officer (an exclusion zone);” “remain outside the exclusion zone for a period, decided by the officer (an exclusion period), of not more than 6 hours;” “fails to comply with the direction.” “Maximum penalty: 2 penalty units.” “Subsection (1) does not apply if the person has a reasonable excuse.” — Crimes Act 1900, ACT Government — ACT Legislation Register. Retrieved 12 Oct 2026.
• “A police officer, with such assistance and using such force as is necessary and reasonable, may do any or all of the following:” “if the officer reasonably suspects a person of committing, or attempting to commit, an offence under Part 5 (except under s 65, about leaving gates open)—prevent the commission, or attempted commission, of such offence;” “remove from unleased National Land:” “a person mentioned in paragraph (a); or” “an animal or vehicle present upon it as a result of the suspected commission, or attempted commission, of an offence mentioned in paragraph (a).” — Australian Capital Territory National Land (Unleased) Ordinance 2022, Australian Government — Federal Register of Legislation. Retrieved 12 Oct 2026.