{"id":"legislative-assembly-security-act-1998","name":"Legislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998","slug":"legislative-assembly-security-act-1998","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30184,"registerId":"nt-legislative-assembly-security-act-1998-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Legislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nLEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (SECURITY) ACT 1998\nAs in force at 20 June 2018\nTable of provisions\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1\n2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1\n3 Application ....................................................................................... 1\n4 Definitions ........................................................................................ 2\nPart 2 Authorised persons\n5 Authorised persons.......................................................................... 3\n6 Termination of appointment ............................................................. 3\nPart 3 Unlawful behaviour on Assembly precincts\n7 No firearms, explosives or offensive weapons on Assembly\nprecincts .......................................................................................... 4\n8 Placards, objects, &c., likely to engender violence .......................... 4\n9 Unlawful, disorderly conduct, &c...................................................... 5\n10 Obstruction, &c., of authorised person ............................................ 5\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly\nprecincts\n11 Person may be required to state name and address, &c. ................ 5\n12 Searches of objects ......................................................................... 6\n13 Frisk searches ................................................................................. 7\n14 Frisk searches in emergencies ........................................................ 8\n15 Seizure and forfeiture of firearms, &c. ............................................. 8\n16 Authorised person may require object capable of concealing\nfirearms, &c., to be deposited .......................................................... 9\n17 Detention and search of vehicles by police...................................... 9\n18 Detention and search of vehicles in emergencies ......................... 11\n19 Person may be refused entry to precincts ..................................... 11\n20 Person may be removed from precincts ........................................ 12\n21 Arrest ............................................................................................. 12\nPart 5 Regulations\n22 Regulations.................................................................................... 13\n\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 ii\nENDNOTES\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 20 June 2018\n____________________\nLEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (SECURITY) ACT 1998\nAn Act to provide for security in the Assembly precincts and for related\npurposes\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Legislative Assembly (Security)\nAct 1998.\n2 Commencement\nThis Act comes into operation on the date fixed by the Administrator\nby notice in the Gazette.\n3 Application\n(1) This Act is in addition to and does not derogate from:\n(a) the Speaker's powers under section 16 of the Legislative\nAssembly (Powers and Privileges) Act 1992; or\n(b) any other power, privilege or immunity of the Assembly and of\nits members, committees and persons in relation to the\nregulation of the conduct of persons on the Assembly\nprecincts.\n(2) Except as provided in this Act, a person has a right to enter and\nremain on the Assembly precincts, where there is room for the\nperson on the precincts, if the person:\n(a) has a proper reason for being on or about the precincts or has\nindicated that he or she wishes to see the proceedings of the\nAssembly; and\n(b) has complied with the requirements, if any, of the Speaker or\nan authorised person.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 2\n4 Definitions\nIn this Act:\nAssembly means the Legislative Assembly.\nAssembly precincts means the precincts of the Assembly within\nthe meaning of section 14 of the Legislative Assembly (Powers and\nPrivileges) Act 1992.\nauthorised person means:\n(a) a person appointed under section 5(2); or\n(b) a person referred to in section 5(1).\nexplosive means a substance or article manufactured, designed or\nordinarily used to produce an explosion or a pyrotechnic effect and\nincludes:\n(a) fireworks and gunpowder;\n(b) a gaseous substance so compressed that it is capable of\nexploding;\n(c) material or a substance used to produce an explosion or\npyrotechnic effect; and\n(d) an apparatus, machine, implement or material, or a part of an\napparatus, machine, implement or material, used or able to be\nused or adapted to cause or aid in causing an explosion or a\npyrotechnic effect.\nfirearm, see section 3(1) of the Firearms Act 1997.\nfrisk search means a search conducted by a person running his or\nher hands over the outer clothing of the person being searched.\noffensive weapon, see section 3 of the Weapons\nControl Act 2001, definitions controlled weapon, offensive\nweapon and prohibited weapon.\nscreening search, in relation to the search of an object, means a\nsearch by equipment that is designed to carry out the search\nwithout touching the object or requiring it to be opened.\nNote for section 4\nThe Interpretation Act 1978 contains definitions and other provisions that may be\nrelevant to this Act.\n\nPart 2 Authorised persons\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 3\nPart 2 Authorised persons\n5 Authorised persons\n(1) The following persons are authorised persons for the purpose of\nthis Act:\n(a) the Clerk within the meaning of the Legislative Assembly\n(Powers and Privileges) Act 1992;\n(b) the Deputy Clerk within the meaning of the Legislative\nAssembly (Powers and Privileges) Act 1992;\n(c) the Clerk Assistant within the meaning of the Legislative\nAssembly (Powers and Privileges) Act 1992;\n(d) the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Assembly;\n(e) a member of the Police Force;\n(f) a person, employed by a security firm within the meaning of\nthe Private Security Act 1995 that is engaged to provide the\nservices of crowd controllers in relation to the Assembly\nprecincts, who:\n(i) is directed by the security firm to provide the services of\na crowd controller in relation to the Assembly precincts;\nand\n(ii) holds a crowd controller's licence within the meaning of\nthe Private Security Act 1995 (not being a crowd\ncontroller's transitional licence or a crowd controller's\nprovisional licence within the meaning of that Act);\n(g) a person appointed under subsection (2).\n(2) The Speaker may, in writing, appoint an employee within the\nmeaning of the Public Sector Employment and Management\nAct 1993 to be an authorised person.\n6 Termination of appointment\n(1) The Speaker may, in writing, terminate the appointment of a person\nas an authorised person.\n\nPart 3 Unlawful behaviour on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 4\n(2) A person who is an authorised person under section 5(1)(f) ceases\nto be an authorised person if:\n(a) he or she ceases to be employed by the security firm that\nprovides the services of crowd controllers in relation to the\nAssembly precincts;\n(b) the security firm that employs him or her ceases to be\nengaged to provide the services of crowd controllers in\nrelation to the Assembly precincts; or\n(c) he or she ceases to hold a crowd controller's licence within the\nmeaning of the Private Security Act 1995.\n(3) An authorised person appointed under section 5(2) ceases to be an\nauthorised person if he or she ceases to be an employee within the\nmeaning of the Public Sector Employment and Management\nAct 1993.\nPart 3 Unlawful behaviour on Assembly precincts\n7 No firearms, explosives or offensive weapons on Assembly\nprecincts\n(1) A person must not be in possession of a firearm, explosive or\noffensive weapon on the Assembly precincts.\nMaximum penalty: 215 penalty units or imprisonment for\n5 years.\n(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to:\n(a) a member of the Police Force acting in the course of his or her\nduties; or\n(b) an authorised person acting in the course of his or her duties.\n8 Placards, objects, &c., likely to engender violence\n(1) An authorised person may require a person who is entering or who\nis in Parliament House with a placard, poster or other object to\ndeposit the placard, poster or object with the person if it is:\n(a) offensive, threatening or indecent; or\n(b) likely to engender violence or create a breach of the peace.\n\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 5\n(2) A person required under subsection (1) to deposit a placard, poster\nor object must, as soon as practicable after the requirement is\nmade:\n(a) deposit it with an authorised person; or\n(b) leave Parliament House with it.\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n(3) Where a person fails to comply with a requirement under\nsubsection (1), an authorised person may seize the placard, poster\nor object to which the failure to comply relates.\n9 Unlawful, disorderly conduct, &c.\n(1) Where an authorised person believes that a person on the\nAssembly precincts is behaving unlawfully or in a disorderly or\nmenacing manner, the authorised person may require the person to\nleave the precincts.\n(2) A person must not contravene or fail to comply with a requirement\nunder subsection (1).\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n10 Obstruction, &c., of authorised person\nA person must not resist, hinder or obstruct an authorised person in\nthe execution of his or her duty.\nMaximum penalty: 85 penalty units or imprisonment for\n2 years.\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly\nprecincts\n11 Person may be required to state name and address, &c.\n(1) An authorised person may require a person who is entering or who\nis on the Assembly precincts:\n(a) to tell the authorised person the person's name and address;\n(b) to tell the authorised person the person's reason for entering\nor being on the precincts; and\n\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 6\n(c) to provide to the authorised person proof of the person's\nidentity.\n(2) A person must not fail to provide, when required to do so by an\nauthorised person:\n(a) his or her name and address;\n(b) his or her reason for entering or being on the Assembly\nprecincts; or\n(c) any proof of identity the person is carrying.\nMaximum penalty: 17 penalty units.\n(3) A person must not provide to an authorised person a false name, a\nfalse address, false information as to why the person is entering or\non the Assembly precincts or a false proof of identity.\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units.\n12 Searches of objects\n(1) An authorised person may require a person who is entering or who\nis on the Assembly precincts to submit an object in the possession\nof the person to a screening search.\n(2) Where an authorised person believes, on reasonable grounds, that\nit is necessary to do so in the interests of security, he or she may\nrequire a person who is entering or who is on the Assembly\nprecincts:\n(a) to open and empty out the person's pockets;\n(b) to open or empty a container, briefcase, bag, box, carton or\nother receptacle in the possession of the person; or\n(c) to enable the authorised person to search an object in the\npossession of the person.\n(3) A person of whom a requirement is made under subsection (1)\nor (2) must, as soon as practicable after the requirement is made:\n(a) comply with the requirement; or\n(b) leave the Assembly precincts.\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units.\n\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 7\n13 Frisk searches\n(1) Where an authorised person believes, on reasonable grounds, that\nit is necessary to do so in the interests of security, he or she may,\nwith the consent of a person who is entering or who is on the\nAssembly precincts, conduct a frisk search of the person.\n(2) Where an authorised person believes, on reasonable grounds, that\nit is necessary to do so in the interests of security, he or she may\nrequire a person who is entering or who is on the Assembly\nprecincts:\n(a) to accompany the authorised person to a place on the\nprecincts and to remain at that place; or\n(b) to remain at a place on the precincts,\nfor the purpose of enabling a member of the Police Force to\nconduct a frisk search of the person.\n(3) A person of whom a requirement is made under subsection (2)\nmust comply with the requirement.\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units.\n(4) An authorised person must, as soon as practicable after making a\nrequirement of a person under subsection (2), request a member of\nthe Police Force to attend the Assembly precincts for the purpose\nof enabling a frisk search of the person to be conducted.\n(5) Where a member of the Police Force has not, within 30 minutes\nafter a request was made under subsection (4), attended at the\nAssembly precincts for the purpose of enabling a frisk search of a\nperson to be conducted:\n(a) the person is no longer required to comply with the\nrequirement made of him or her under subsection (2); and\n(b) the authorised person must tell the person that he or she is no\nlonger required to comply with the requirement.\n(6) A member of the Police Force attending the Assembly precincts in\naccordance with a request under subsection (4):\n(a) may require the person to whom the request to attend relates\nto submit to a frisk search or to remove a jacket or coat and\nsubmit to a frisk search; and\n\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 8\n(b) may conduct a frisk search of the person, or, where the\nmember of the Police Force is not of the same sex as the\nperson being searched, may ensure a frisk search of the\nperson is conducted.\n(7) A frisk search under subsection (6) may only be conducted:\n(a) by a member of the Police Force who is the same sex as the\nperson being searched; or\n(b) where a member of the Police Force of the same sex as the\nperson being searched is not available to conduct the\nsearch – by any other person of the same sex who agrees to a\nrequest by the member to conduct the frisk search.\n(8) No civil or criminal proceeding lies against a person authorised for\nthe purposes of subsection (7)(b) in respect of an act or thing done\nin good faith by the person conducting a frisk search of the person\nin accordance with the request of a member of the Police Force.\n(9) A person of whom a requirement is made under subsection (2)\nmust not be questioned in relation to an alleged offence other than\nby a member of the Police Force.\n14 Frisk searches in emergencies\n(1) Where an authorised person believes, on reasonable grounds, that\ncircumstances of such seriousness and urgency exist that it is\nnecessary to do so in the interests of security, he or she may:\n(a) require a person who is entering or who is on the Assembly\nprecincts to submit to a frisk search or to remove a jacket or\ncoat and submit to a frisk search; and\n(b) conduct a frisk search of the person.\n(2) A person of whom a requirement is made under subsection (1)(a)\nmust comply with the requirement.\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units.\n15 Seizure and forfeiture of firearms, &c.\n(1) An authorised person may seize a firearm, explosive or offensive\nweapon that is in the possession of a person, other than a person\nto whom section 7(2) applies, who is entering or who is on the\nAssembly precincts.\n\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 9\n(2) Where a person is found guilty of an offence against section 7(1),\nthe firearm, explosive or offensive weapon to which the offence\nrelates is forfeited to the Territory.\n(3) Where a person is found guilty of an offence against section 8(2),\nthe placard, poster or object to which the offence relates is forfeited\nto the Territory.\n16 Authorised person may require object capable of concealing\nfirearms, &c., to be deposited\n(1) An authorised person may require a person who is entering or who\nis on the Assembly precincts with an object that is reasonably\ncapable of concealing a firearm, explosive or offensive weapon to\ndeposit the object with the authorised person.\n(2) A person required to deposit an object under subsection (1) must,\nas soon as practicable after the requirement is made:\n(a) deposit the object with an authorised person; or\n(b) leave the Assembly precincts with the object.\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n(3) Where a person fails to comply with a requirement under\nsubsection (1), an authorised person may seize the object to which\nthe failure to comply relates.\n17 Detention and search of vehicles by police\n(1) An authorised person may require the driver or person apparently in\npossession of a vehicle that is on the Assembly precincts to leave\nthe precincts with the vehicle.\n(2) Where an authorised person believes, on reasonable grounds, that\nit is necessary to do so in the interests of security, he or she may\nrequire the driver or person apparently in possession of a vehicle\nthat is on, entering or about to enter the Assembly precincts:\n(a) to stop the vehicle or not to move the vehicle; and\n(b) to:\n(i) accompany the authorised person to a place on the\nprecincts and to remain at that place; or\n(ii) remain with the vehicle,\n\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 10\nfor the purpose of enabling a member of the Police Force to\nconduct a search of the vehicle and its contents.\n(3) A person must not fail to comply with a requirement of an\nauthorised person under subsection (1) or (2).\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n(4) An authorised person must, as soon as practicable after making a\nrequirement of a person under subsection (2), request a member of\nthe Police Force to attend the Assembly precincts for the purpose\nof conducting a search of the vehicle.\n(5) Where a member of the Police Force has not, within 30 minutes\nafter a request was made under subsection (4), attended at the\nAssembly precincts for the purpose of conducting a search of the\nvehicle:\n(a) the driver or person apparently in possession of the vehicle is\nno longer required to comply with the requirement made of\nhim or her under subsection (2); and\n(b) the authorised person must tell the person that he or she is no\nlonger required to comply with the requirement.\n(6) A member of the Police Force may require the driver or person\napparently in possession of a vehicle that is on, entering or about to\nenter the Assembly precincts:\n(a) to stop or not to move the vehicle; or\n(b) to open or open and empty the vehicle and any object in the\nvehicle that is reasonably capable of concealing a firearm,\nexplosive or offensive weapon.\n(7) A person of whom a requirement is made under subsection (6)\nmust comply with the requirement.\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n(8) Where a requirement under subsection (6)(b) is not complied with,\na member of the Police Force may use such reasonable force as is\nnecessary to break into and search the vehicle or object to which\nthe requirement relates.\n\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 11\n18 Detention and search of vehicles in emergencies\n(1) Where an authorised person believes, on reasonable grounds, that\ncircumstances of such seriousness and urgency exist that it is\nnecessary to do so in the interests of security, he or she may\nrequire the driver or person apparently in possession of a vehicle\nthat is on, entering or about to enter the Assembly precincts:\n(a) to stop or not to move the vehicle;\n(b) to open or open and empty the vehicle and any object in the\nvehicle that is reasonably capable of concealing a firearm,\nexplosive or offensive weapon; and\n(c) to:\n(i) accompany the authorised person to a place on the\nprecincts and to remain at that place; or\n(ii) remain with the vehicle.\n(2) A person of whom a requirement is made under subsection (1)\nmust comply with the requirement.\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n(3) An authorised person may search a vehicle to which a requirement\nunder subsection (1) relates.\n(4) Where a requirement under subsection (1)(b) is not complied with,\nan authorised person may use such reasonable force as is\nnecessary to break into and search the vehicle or object to which\nthe requirement relates.\n19 Person may be refused entry to precincts\n(1) An authorised person may order a person who refuses to comply\nwith a requirement of an authorised person under this Act (other\nthan a requirement under section 9(1)) not to enter the Assembly\nprecincts or a part of the Assembly precincts.\n(2) A person must not fail to comply with an order of an authorised\nperson under subsection (1).\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n\nPart 4 Powers in relation to security on Assembly precincts\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 12\n(3) Where a person fails to comply with an order under subsection (1),\nan authorised person may, using such force as is reasonably\nnecessary for the purpose:\n(a) prevent the person from entering the Assembly precincts or a\npart of the Assembly precincts; or\n(b) remove the person from the Assembly precincts or a part of\nthe Assembly precincts.\n20 Person may be removed from precincts\n(1) Where a person refuses to comply with a requirement or order of an\nauthorised person under this Act (other than a requirement under\nsection 9(1)), an authorised person may order the person to leave\nthe Assembly precincts or a part of the Assembly precincts.\n(2) A person must not fail to comply with an order of an authorised\nperson under subsection (1).\nMaximum penalty: 40 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n(3) Where a person fails to comply with:\n(a) an order of an authorised person under subsection (1); or\n(b) a requirement of an authorised person under section 9(1),\nan authorised person may:\n(c) remove the person from the Assembly precincts or a part of\nthe Assembly precincts using such force as is reasonably\nnecessary for that purpose; and\n(d) where the person has failed to comply with a requirement\nunder section 17 or 18 – remove a vehicle driven by or in the\npossession of the person from the Assembly precincts.\n21 Arrest\n(1) Where an authorised person believes, on reasonable grounds, that\na person has committed, is committing or is likely to commit an\noffence against this Act, the authorised person may, without\nwarrant, arrest the person and take him or her into custody.\n(2) Where an authorised person who arrests a person under\nsubsection (1) is not a member of the Police Force, the authorised\nperson must deliver the person to a member of the Police Force as\nsoon as practicable after the person is arrested.\n\nPart 5 Regulations\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 13\n(3) A person who is arrested under subsection (1) and is in custody\nmust not be questioned in relation to an offence other than by a\nmember of the Police Force.\n(4) Where a person is delivered to a member of the Police Force under\nsubsection (2), the Police Administration Act 1978 applies in\nrelation to the person and the member as if the arrest had been\nmade under that Act.\n(5) Nothing in this section derogates from the power of a person to\narrest a person without warrant under section 441 of the Criminal\nCode.\nPart 5 Regulations\n22 Regulations\nThe Administrator may make regulations, not inconsistent with this\nAct, prescribing matters:\n(a) required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or\n(b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or\ngiving effect to this Act.\n\nENDNOTES\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 14\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Act 1998 (Act No. 62, 1998)\nAssent date 14 October 1998\nCommenced 14 October 1998\nLegislative Assembly (Security) Amendment Act 2000 (Act No. 13, 2000)\nAssent date 25 May 2000\nCommenced 25 May 2000\nPenalties Amendment (Chief Minister's and Other Portfolios) Act 2011 (Act No. 27,\n2011)\nAssent date 31 August 2011\nCommenced 21 September 2011 (Gaz G38, 21 September 2011, p 5)\nStatute Law Revision Act 2018 (Act No. 10, 2018)\nAssent date 23 May 2018\nCommenced 20 June 2018 (Gaz S41, 20 June 2018)\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22 of 2018) to: ss 1, 3, 4, 5 6 and 23.\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\ns 4 amd No. 13, 2000, s 2; No. 10, 2018, s 6\nss 7 – 14 amd No. 27, 2011, s 3\nss 16 – 20 amd No. 27, 2011, s 3\nsch rep No. 13, 2000, s 3","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act has been amended since 1998: section 4 was amended in 2000 and 2018; sections 7–14 and 16–20 were amended in 2011 (Endnotes). Those amendments altered definitions, search/seizure and penalty provisions and thus adjusted how the original 1998 security regime operates and is enforced."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple categories of authorised persons and Speaker discretion to appoint or terminate employees as authorised persons (ss 5–6)","Broad search, screening and frisk powers coupled to a 'reasonable grounds' test and an emergency exception that removes the usual police requirement (ss 12–14, 18)","Dependence on Police attendance and specific time limits for searches, creating operational dependencies between Assembly security and police (ss 13(4)–(6), 17(4)–(6), 21(2))","Powers to seize, forfeit and use reasonable force to break into vehicles or objects, with mixed civil/criminal consequences (ss 15–18, 19(3), 20(3))","A tiered penalty structure (fines, imprisonment, forfeiture) tied to different breaches, which affects compliance costs (ss 7, 8(2), 9(2), 10, 11(2)–(3))","Cross‑references to other statutes for definitions and limits (Legislative Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act 1992; Firearms Act 1997; Weapons Control Act 2001; Private Security Act 1995) that shape scope and application (ss 3, 4, 5)","Regulations power enabling further prescription of procedures and obligations (s 22)"],"plain_english_summary":"This law gives authorised officials (Clerk, Sergeant‑at‑Arms, police, licensed crowd controllers and staff the Speaker appoints) powers to control entry to Legislative Assembly precincts: they can require names/ID, screen or frisk people and objects, seize firearms/offensive weapons, deposit or confiscate placards, refuse or remove people and arrest non‑compliant persons. It affects visitors, staff, security firms and drivers, who face fines, imprisonment or forfeiture for non‑compliance; the Speaker decides appointments and police carry out certain searches, shifting compliance costs and enforcement discretion to those officials."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation appears to maintain its original scope as a security framework for parliamentary precincts. The amendments listed in the endnotes are primarily penalty updates (2011) and technical/statute law revisions (2000, 2018) rather than substantive expansions of power or jurisdiction."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate cross-referencing: Definitions rely on external Acts (Firearms Act 1997, Weapons Control Act 2001, Private Security Act 1995, Legislative Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act 1992)","Conditional logic for 'authorised persons': Different appointment and termination rules apply depending on whether the person is a parliamentary officer, police officer, security contractor, or public servant appointee (sections 5-6)","Nested procedural requirements for searches: Frisk searches and vehicle searches have multi-step processes involving 30-minute time limits, gender-specific requirements, and emergency exceptions (sections 13-14, 17-18)","Multiple penalty tiers: Offences carry varying penalties (17, 40, 85, and 215 penalty units) requiring careful parsing","Safeguards and limitations: Several provisions include 'reasonable grounds' thresholds, consent requirements, and protections against questioning by non-police officers"],"plain_english_summary":"This law sets up the security framework for the Northern Territory's parliament building and its grounds (called 'Assembly precincts').\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Creates 'authorised persons'** – specific staff (like the Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, police officers, and licensed security guards) who have special powers to keep the parliament safe.\n- **Bans dangerous items** – You cannot bring firearms, explosives, or offensive weapons onto parliament grounds. There are heavy penalties (up to 5 years in prison) for doing so.\n- **Controls disruptive behaviour** – It is illegal to behave violently, carry threatening placards, or obstruct security staff.\n- **Gives search and removal powers** – Authorised persons can:\n  - Ask for your name, address, and ID\n  - Search your bags and belongings\n  - Conduct 'frisk searches' (pat-downs) in emergencies, or detain you until police arrive to search you\n  - Search vehicles\n  - Seize banned items\n  - Refuse entry or remove people who refuse to cooperate\n- **Allows arrest without warrant** – Authorised persons can arrest someone they believe has committed or is about to commit an offence under this Act, but must hand them to police quickly.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Anyone entering or near the Northern Territory Parliament House – visitors, protesters, staff, and the public.\n- Parliamentary staff and security personnel who need to know their powers.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis law balances public access to democracy with the need to protect parliament from violence, terrorism, or serious disruption. It gives security staff significant powers (including physical search and removal), but includes safeguards like requiring 'reasonable grounds' for searches and limiting questioning to police officers only."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/legislative-assembly-security-act-1998","history":"/api/acts/legislative-assembly-security-act-1998/history","analysis":"/api/acts/legislative-assembly-security-act-1998/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/legislative-assembly-security-act-1998/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/legislative-assembly-security-act-1998/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/legislative-assembly-security-act-1998/documents"}}