{"id":"personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016","name":"Personal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016","slug":"personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30389,"registerId":"nt-personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Personal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016","content":"Note\nIn order to give effect to the Cross-border Justice Act 2009, this law must be\napplied with the modifications mentioned in section 13 of the Cross-border\nJustice Act 2009 as if this law had been altered in that way.\nFor modifications of this law prescribed by regulation, see Part 3, Division 10A\nof the Cross-border Justice Regulations 2009.\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nPERSONAL VIOLENCE RESTRAINING ORDERS ACT 2016\nAs in force at 25 March 2024\nTable of provisions\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\n1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1\n2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1\n3 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1\n4 Personal violence offence................................................................ 2\n5 Intimidation ...................................................................................... 3\n6 Stalking ............................................................................................ 3\n7 Economic abuse .............................................................................. 3\n8 Application of Criminal Code ........................................................... 4\n9 Object of, and achievement of, Act .................................................. 4\nPart 2 Applying for and making orders\n10 Application for order ........................................................................ 4\n11 Parties to order ................................................................................ 5\n12 How application is made .................................................................. 5\n13 Notice of hearing of application ....................................................... 5\n14 Referral to mediation ....................................................................... 5\n15 Deciding application ........................................................................ 6\n16 Matters to be considered by Court................................................... 6\n17 Content of orders ............................................................................. 7\n18 Notice of order ................................................................................. 7\n19 Interim personal violence restraining order ...................................... 8\n20 Prohibition on publication of personal details................................... 8\n21 Defendant's identity or whereabouts unknown ................................ 9\nPart 3 Miscellaneous matters\n22 Variation or revocation of order ....................................................... 9\n\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 ii\n23 Contravention of personal violence restraining order or interim\npersonal violence restraining order................................................ 10\n24 Publication of personal details ....................................................... 10\nPart 4 Transitional matters for Justice Legislation\nAmendment (Electronic Documents) Act\n2022\n25 Order made but not given to defendant before commencement.... 11\nENDNOTES\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 25 March 2024\n____________________\nPERSONAL VIOLENCE RESTRAINING ORDERS ACT 2016\nAn Act to provide for the protection of persons from personal violence,\nand for related purposes\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Personal Violence Restraining Orders\nAct 2016.\n2 Commencement\n(1) Part 4, Division 5 commences on the day on which the\nAdministrator's assent to this Act is declared.\n(2) The remaining provisions of this Act commence immediately after\nthe commencement of the Local Court (Repeals and Related\nAmendments) Act 2016.\n3 Definitions\nIn this Act:\nchild means a person under the age of 18 years.\nCourt means the Local Court.\ndefendant, for a personal violence restraining order, means the\nperson against whom the order is in force.\neconomic abuse, see section 7.\ninterim personal violence restraining order, see section 19(1).\nintimidation, see section 5(1).\npersonal violence offence, see section 4.\npersonal violence restraining order, see section 10.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 2\nprotected person, for a personal violence restraining order, means\nthe person for whose protection the order is in force.\nregistrar, see section 3 of the Local Court Act 2015.\nstalking, see section 6.\nNote for section 3\nThe Interpretation Act 1978 contains definitions and other provisions that may be\nrelevant to this Act.\n4 Personal violence offence\nA personal violence offence is:\n(a) an offence against any of the following provisions of the\nCriminal Code:\n(i) Part V, Division 2;\n(ii) Part VI, Divisions 3 to 6A;\n(iii) Part VIA, other than section 208NA;\n(iv) section 218;\n(v) another provision prescribed by regulation; or\n(ab) an offence against Part V, Division 2 or Part VI, Division 5 of\nthe Criminal Code, as in force before the commencement of\nPart 2 of the Criminal Justice Legislation Amendment (Sexual\nOffences) Act 2023; or\n(b) any of the following conduct committed by a person against\nanother person:\n(i) conduct causing harm;\n(ii) damaging property, including the injury to or death of an\nanimal;\n(iii) intimidation;\n(iv) stalking;\n(v) economic abuse;\n(vi) attempting or threatening to commit conduct mentioned\nin subparagraphs (i) to (v).\n\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 3\n5 Intimidation\n(1) Intimidation of a person is:\n(a) harassment of the person; or\n(b) any conduct that causes a reasonable apprehension of:\n(i) violence to the person; or\n(ii) damage to the property of the person, including the\ninjury to or death of an animal that is the person's\nproperty; or\n(c) any conduct that has the effect of unreasonably controlling the\nperson or causes the person mental harm.\n(2) For deciding whether a person's conduct amounts to intimidation,\nconsideration may be given to a pattern of conduct in the person's\nbehaviour.\nExamples of harassment for subsection (1)(a)\n1 Regular and unwanted contacting of the person, including by mail, phone,\ntext messages, fax, the internet or another form of electronic communication.\n2 Giving or sending offensive material to the person.\nExample of conduct for subsection (1)(b)(i)\nSexually coercive behaviour.\n6 Stalking\nStalking, a person, includes engaging in any of the following\nconduct on at least 2 separate occasions with the intention of\ncausing harm to the person or causing the person to fear harm to\nthe person:\n(a) intentionally following the person;\n(b) intentionally watching or loitering in the vicinity of, or\nintentionally approaching, the place where the person lives,\nworks or regularly goes for a social or leisure activity.\n7 Economic abuse\nEconomic abuse, of a person, includes any of the following\nconduct (or any combination of them):\n(a) coercing the person to relinquish control over assets or\nincome;\n\nPart 2 Applying for and making orders\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 4\n(b) unreasonably disposing of property (whether owned by the\nperson or owned jointly with the person or someone else)\nwithout consent;\n(c) unreasonably preventing the person from taking part in\ndecisions over household expenditure or the disposition of\njoint property;\n(d) withholding money reasonably necessary for the maintenance\nof the person or a child of the person.\nExample of coercion for paragraph (a)\nUsing stand-over tactics to obtain the person's credit card.\n8 Application of Criminal Code\nPart IIAA of the Criminal Code applies to an offence against this\nAct.\nNote for section 8\nPart IIAA of the Criminal Code states the general principles of criminal\nresponsibility, establishes general defences, and deals with burden of proof. It\nalso defines, or elaborates on, certain concepts commonly used in the creation of\noffences.\n9 Object of, and achievement of, Act\n(1) The object of this Act is to ensure the safety and protection of\npersons who experience personal violence outside a domestic\nrelationship as defined in the Domestic and Family Violence\nAct 2007.\n(2) The object of this Act is to be achieved by providing for:\n(a) the making of personal violence restraining orders to protect\npersons from certain violence; and\n(b) the enforcement of the orders.\nPart 2 Applying for and making orders\n10 Application for order\nAny of the following persons may apply for an order (a personal\nviolence restraining order) for the protection of a person against\nanother person:\n(a) the person whose protection is sought under the order;\n\nPart 2 Applying for and making orders\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 5\n(b) an adult acting for the person whose protection is sought\nunder the order;\n(c) a police officer.\n11 Parties to order\n(1) Only one person may be named as the protected person and only\none person may be named as the defendant in a personal violence\nrestraining order.\n(2) The defendant named in a personal violence restraining order\ncannot be a child under the age of 15 years.\n12 How application is made\nAn application for a personal violence restraining order must be\nmade to the Court in accordance with the rules of the Court.\n13 Notice of hearing of application\nAs soon as practicable after the application is filed, a registrar must\ngive written notice to the person whose protection is sought and\ndefendant of the time and place for the hearing of the application.\n14 Referral to mediation\n(1) Before hearing an application for a personal violence restraining\norder, the Court must refer the person whose protection is sought\nand defendant for mediation under the Community Justice Centre\nAct 2005.\n(2) However, the Court must not make a referral and must proceed to\nhear the application if it is satisfied that a referral is not appropriate\nin the circumstances, including, for example, because:\n(a) there is a history of violence committed against the person by\nthe defendant; and\n(b) there has been a previous attempt at mediation between the\nperson and defendant in relation to the application and the\nattempt was not successful.\n(3) A referral stays the proceedings until a report is given to the Court\nunder subsection (6).\n(4) The referral is taken to be an application under section 13 of the\nCommunity Justice Centre Act 2005 for the provision of mediation\nservices for a dispute between the person and defendant.\n\nPart 2 Applying for and making orders\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 6\n(5) The Director of the Community Justice Centre must accept the\nreferral.\n(6) The Director must give the Court a written report on the outcome of\nthe mediation or attempted mediation.\n(7) The Court may refer the matter back to the Director with directions\nabout the mediation.\n(8) In deciding the application for the personal violence restraining\norder, the Court must take a report of the Director into account.\n15 Deciding application\n(1) The Court may decide to make a personal violence restraining\norder if it is satisfied on the balance of probabilities a personal\nviolence offence has been committed, or is likely to be committed,\nby the defendant against the person whose protection is sought.\n(2) Otherwise, the Court must dismiss the application.\n(3) The Court may decide the application even if the defendant does\nnot appear at the hearing.\n16 Matters to be considered by Court\n(1) In deciding whether to make a personal violence restraining order,\nthe Court must consider the safety and protection of the person\nwhose protection is sought and any affected child to be of\nparamount importance.\n(2) In addition, the Court must consider the following:\n(a) the defendant's criminal record as defined in the Criminal\nRecords (Spent Convictions) Act 1992;\n(b) the defendant's previous conduct whether in relation to the\nperson, affected child or someone else;\n(c) other matters the Court considers relevant.\n(3) In this section:\naffected child, in relation to an application for a personal violence\nrestraining order, means a child whose wellbeing is affected or\nlikely to be affected by a personal violence offence committed or\nlikely to be committed by the defendant against the person.\n\nPart 2 Applying for and making orders\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 7\n17 Content of orders\n(1) A personal violence restraining order may provide for any of the\nfollowing:\n(a) an order imposing the restraints on the defendant stated in the\norder as the Court considers are necessary or desirable to\nprevent the commission of a personal violence offence against\nthe protected person;\n(b) the other orders the Court considers are just or desirable to\nmake in the circumstances of the particular case.\n(2) In this section:\nrestraint includes prohibition.\n18 Notice of order\n(1) As soon as practicable after a personal violence restraining order or\nan interim personal violence restraining order is made, the Court\nmust give a copy of it to:\n(a) the protected person and defendant; and\n(b) the Commissioner of Police.\n(2) A copy of the personal violence restraining order or the interim\npersonal violence restraining order is given to the defendant if:\n(a) the defendant was before the Court, whether physically or by\naudiovisual link, when the order was made; or\n(b) the order is served on the defendant in a way mentioned in\nsection 25 of the Interpretation Act 1978; or\n(c) the order is given to the defendant by means of electronic\ncommunication; or\n(d) the order is given to the defendant in another way ordered by\nthe Court.\nNote for subsection (2)(c)\nThe Electronic Transactions (Northern Territory) Act 2000 provides for the\nrequirements of transactions by means of electronic communication.\n(3) In this section:\naudiovisual link means a facility (including closed-circuit\ntelevision) that enables audio and visual communication between\npersons at different places.\n\nPart 2 Applying for and making orders\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 8\nelectronic communication, see section 5 of the Electronic\nTransactions (Northern Territory) Act 2000.\n19 Interim personal violence restraining order\n(1) At any time during proceedings for the hearing of an application for\na personal violence restraining order, the Court may make an order\n(an interim personal violence restraining order) under this\nsection.\n(2) The Court may make the interim personal violence restraining\norder:\n(a) even if the defendant does not appear at the hearing; or\n(b) if the defendant appears at the hearing:\n(i) even though the defendant has not given evidence; or\n(ii) even if the defendant objects to the order being made.\n(3) The interim personal violence restraining order is in force until the\nearlier of the following:\n(a) it is revoked by the Court;\n(b) if a personal violence restraining order is made for the same\nparties and the defendant is before the Court:\n(i) on the making of the personal violence restraining order;\nor\n(ii) on the later date ordered by the Court;\n(c) if a personal violence restraining order is made for the same\nparties and the defendant is not before the Court:\n(i) when the personal violence restraining order is given to\nthe defendant; or\n(ii) on the later date ordered by the Court.\nNote for subsection (3)(c)\nAn interim personal violence restraining order is given to the defendant if it is\ngiven in any of the ways mentioned in section 18.\n20 Prohibition on publication of personal details\nA personal violence restraining order and an interim personal\nviolence restraining order may include an order prohibiting the\npublication of personal details of a protected person or witness in\n\nPart 3 Miscellaneous matters\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 9\nproceedings if the Court is satisfied the publication would expose\nthe person to the risk of harm.\n21 Defendant's identity or whereabouts unknown\n(1) This section applies if:\n(a) the protected person, having made reasonable inquiries, is\nunable to ascertain the identity or whereabouts of the\ndefendant for the purpose of making an application for a\npersonal violence restraining order under Part 2; and\n(b) another person may have information or a document or thing\nthat will assist in ascertaining the identity or whereabouts of\nthe defendant.\n(2) The Court may order the other person:\n(a) to attend the Court to be examined as to the identity or\nwhereabouts of the defendant; and\n(b) to disclose the information or document or thing that relates to\nthe identity or whereabouts of the defendant to the protected\nperson.\nPart 3 Miscellaneous matters\n22 Variation or revocation of order\n(1) Any of the following persons may apply to the Court for an order\nvarying (including extending the period the order is in force) or\nrevoking a personal violence restraining order.\n(a) the protected person;\n(b) a police officer or adult acting for the protected person;\n(c) the defendant;\n(d) a person granted leave by the Court to make the application.\n(2) The defendant may apply for the order only with the leave of the\nCourt.\n(3) The Court may grant leave to the defendant only if satisfied there\nhas been a substantial change in the circumstances of the\ndefendant or the protected person since the order was made or last\nvaried.\n\nPart 3 Miscellaneous matters\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 10\n(4) Part 2 applies (with the necessary changes) to the application as if\nit were an application under that Part.\n23 Contravention of personal violence restraining order or interim\npersonal violence restraining order\n(1) A person commits an offence if:\n(a) a personal violence restraining order or an interim personal\nviolence restraining order is in force against the person; and\n(b) the person engages in conduct that results in a contravention\nof the order.\nMaximum penalty: 400 penalty units or imprisonment for\n2 years.\n(2) Subsection (1) does not apply unless:\n(a) the person has been given a copy of the order; or\n(b) for a personal violence restraining order that has been varied:\n(i) the person has been given a copy of the order as varied;\nor\n(ii) the person's conduct also constitutes a contravention of\nthe order last given to the person.\nNote for subsection (2)\nUnder section 18, a copy of the personal violence restraining order or interim\npersonal violence restraining order is given to the defendant if the defendant is\nbefore the Court when it is made. Otherwise a copy of the order is given to the\ndefendant if it is given in any of the ways mentioned in that section.\n(3) An offence against subsection (1) is an offence of strict liability.\n24 Publication of personal details\n(1) A person commits an offence if:\n(a) a personal violence restraining order or an interim personal\nviolence restraining order prohibits the publication of a\nperson's personal details; and\n(b) the person engages in conduct that results in a contravention\nof the order.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units or imprisonment for\n1 year.\n\nPart 4 Transitional matters for Justice Legislation Amendment (Electronic\nDocuments) Act 2022\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 11\n(2) An offence against subsection (1) is an offence of strict liability.\nPart 4 Transitional matters for Justice Legislation\nAmendment (Electronic Documents) Act 2022\n25 Order made but not given to defendant before commencement\n(1) Section 18, as in force immediately before the commencement,\ncontinues to apply in relation to a personal violence restraining\norder or an interim personal violence restraining order that was\nmade before the commencement but had not been given to the\ndefendant before the commencement.\n(2) In this section:\ncommencement means the commencement of Part 6 of the\nJustice Legislation Amendment (Electronic Documents) Act 2022.\n\nENDNOTES\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 12\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\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 (Act No. 10, 2016)\nAssent date 29 April 2016\nCommenced pt 4, div 5: 29 April 2016; rem: 1 May 2016 (s 2, s 2 Local\nCourt (Repeals and Related Amendments) Act 2016 (Act\nNo. 9, 2016) and Gaz S34, 29 April 2016)\nStatute Law Revision Act 2017 (Act No. 4, 2017)\nAssent date 10 March 2017\nCommenced 12 April 2017 (Gaz G15, 12 April 2017, p 3)\nJustice Legislation Amendment (Electronic Documents) Act 2022 (Act No. 2, 2022)\nAssent date 1 March 2022\nCommenced 2 March 2022 (s 2)\nCriminal Justice Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2023 (Act No. 20, 2023)\nAssent date 17 August 2023\nCommenced 25 March 2024 (Gaz S20, 22 March 2024)\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, 9, 14 and 16.\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\ns 3 amd No. 4, 2017, s 34\ns 4 amd No. 20, 2023, s 54\ns 8 amd No. 4, 2017, s 34\ns 18 amd No. 2, 2022, s 35\ns 19 amd No. 2, 2022, s 36\n\nENDNOTES\nPersonal Violence Restraining Orders Act 2016 13\ns 23 hdg amd No. 4, 2017, s 34\ns 23 amd No. 2, 2022, s 37\npt 4 hdg exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\nins No. 2, 2022, s 38\ns 25 exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\nins No. 2, 2022, s 38\npt 4\ndiv 1 hdg exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\ns 26 exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\npt 4\ndiv 2 hdg exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\nss 27 – 29 exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\npt 4\ndiv 3 hdg exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\nss 30 – 32 exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\npt 4\ndiv 4 hdg exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\nss 33 – 37 exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\npt 4\ndiv 5 hdg exp No. 10, 2016, s 44\nss 38 – 43 exp No. 10, 2016, s 44","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act’s scope has been expanded since enactment. Notable scope changes include: the statutory listing and definitions of non‑physical forms of personal violence—stalking (s6), intimidation (s5) and a specific definition of economic abuse (s7)—which broaden the types of behaviour captured; amendments in 2023 adjusting which Criminal Code provisions are treated as personal violence offences and preserving coverage of certain pre‑amendment offences (s4, including s4(ab)); and procedural changes from the 2022 Justice Legislation Amendment (Electronic Documents) Act allowing electronic giving of orders and related changes to interim order and contravention provisions (ss18–19, s23). These changes moved the Act beyond a narrow civil restraining‑order framework toward a broader, partly criminalised, and more technologically enabled protection regime."},"complexity_factors":["Several cross-references to other statutes (Criminal Code, Domestic and Family Violence Act 2007, Community Justice Centre Act 2005, Interpretation Act 1978, Electronic Transactions (Northern Territory) Act 2000, Cross-border Justice Act 2009)","Multiple defined terms in s3 and elsewhere (child, Court, defendant, protected person, interim order, intimidation, stalking, economic abuse, personal violence offence)","Conditional mandatory mediation with carved‑out exceptions (s14)","Interim order rules with multiple triggering and ending conditions (s19(3))","Criminalisation with strict liability but conditional application tied to service/receipt of order (s23(1)–(3), s24)","Recent procedural amendments permitting electronic giving/communication of orders (s18) and transitional provisions (Part 4)","A non‑exhaustive list of conduct in s4(b) that can be proved either by reference to Criminal Code provisions or by showing a listed type of conduct","Modest number of Parts and sections (relatively short Act) but amendments across years creating layered changes (2017, 2022, 2023)"],"plain_english_summary":"This law creates a civil regime of Personal Violence Restraining Orders to protect people from personal‑violence conduct outside domestic relationships. It lets applicants (or police) seek court orders, channels many matters to community mediation, and permits interim orders and publication bans while proceedings run. Defendants face civil restraints and criminal penalties for breaches once served. The scheme shifts enforcement and administrative costs to courts, police and mediation services and broadens the kinds of conduct (including stalking, intimidation and economic abuse) that can be restrained."},"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"},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains focused on its original purpose of providing restraining orders for non-domestic personal violence. The 2022 amendments added electronic service methods and transitional provisions, while 2023 amendments updated references to sexual offence provisions in the Criminal Code. These are technical updates rather than scope expansion. The Act has not grown beyond its original intent of protecting persons from personal violence outside domestic relationships."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate cross-referencing: References to Criminal Code (Part V, VI, VIA), Domestic and Family Violence Act 2007, Community Justice Centre Act 2005, Interpretation Act 1978, Electronic Transactions Act 2000, and Criminal Records (Spent Convictions) Act 1992","Defined terms section with 8 specific definitions plus incorporation of Interpretation Act definitions","Conditional logic in section 14 (mandatory mediation referral with 2 explicit exceptions)","Nested conditions in section 19(3) for when interim orders expire (3-tiered logic based on defendant presence and court orders)","Exception structure in section 23(2) creating defences to breach offences (knowledge requirement)","Temporal complexity: Section 4 references both current and pre-2023 versions of Criminal Code provisions due to amendment by Criminal Justice Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2023","Transitional provision in Part 4 preserving old service rules for existing orders","Cross-border justice modifications note at commencement requiring application with modifications from another Act"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis is the Northern Territory's law for protecting people from violence, threats, and abuse by someone **outside** a domestic relationship (meaning not a partner, ex-partner, or family member). It creates a legal tool called a **personal violence restraining order** (PVRO) — a court order that sets rules to stop one person from hurting, threatening, stalking, or harassing another.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- **Protected persons:** Anyone experiencing violence or threats from a non-family member (neighbours, acquaintances, colleagues, strangers).\n- **Defendants:** The person accused of the violence (must be 15 or older).\n- **Police:** Can apply for orders on someone's behalf.\n- **Courts:** The Local Court handles applications, hearings, and enforcement.\n\n**Key things the law covers:**\n\n- **What counts as violence:** Physical harm, property damage (including hurting pets), intimidation (harassment, controlling behaviour, causing fear), stalking (following or watching someone at least twice to cause fear), and economic abuse (controlling money, forcing someone to hand over assets).\n- **How to get protection:** A person (or someone acting for them, or police) applies to the Local Court. The court usually tries mediation first, but skips this if there's a history of violence or mediation already failed.\n- **Interim orders:** The court can make temporary urgent orders immediately, even if the defendant isn't there or objects.\n- **What orders can say:** Rules like \"stay away from my home\" or \"don't contact me\" — whatever the court thinks is needed for safety.\n- **Breaking an order:** It's a criminal offence (up to 2 years prison or heavy fines) to breach a PVRO, but only if the person was properly given a copy of the order.\n- **Changing or cancelling orders:** The protected person or police can apply to vary or revoke an order. The defendant can only apply with court permission, and only if circumstances have substantially changed.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis fills a gap in NT law. The Domestic and Family Violence Act 2007 covers family violence, but this Act protects people from violence by neighbours, workmates, acquaintances, or strangers. It gives courts flexible powers to impose safety-focused restrictions and backs them with criminal penalties for breaches."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016","history":"/api/acts/personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016/history","analysis":"/api/acts/personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/personal-violence-restraining-orders-act-2016/documents"}}