{"id":"BILL-QLD-3248","name":"Police Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025","slug":"police-powers-and-responsibilities-making-jack-s-law-permanent-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2025","collection":"bill","jurisdiction":"qld","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":"2025-01-01","administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":446109,"registerId":"BILL-QLD-3248:current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2025-01-01","status":"in_force","reasons":null,"registeredAt":"2026-05-06T12:45:20.604Z"},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0001","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 1","content":"# Police Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025\n\nQueensland\nPolice Powers and\nResponsibilities (Making\nJack’s Law Permanent) and\nOther Legislation Amendment\nBill 2025\n\nQueensland\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities\n(Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other\nLegislation Amendment Bill 2025\nContents\nPage\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\n2 Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\nPart 2 Amendment of Marine Rescue Queensland Act 2024\n3 Act amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\n4 Insertion of new s 28A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\n28A MRQ is charitable institution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4\nPart 3 Amendment of Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000\n5 Act amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n6 Amendment of s 30 (Prescribed circumstances for searching persons\nwithout warrant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n7 Amendment of ch 2, pt 3A, hdg (Jack’s Law—Use of hand held scanners\nwithout warrant in particular places) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n8 Insertion of new s 39AA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n39AA Purpose of part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n9 Amendment of s 39A (Definitions for part) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n10 Insertion of new s 39BA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6\n39BA Use of hand held scanner without warrant in relevant places\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6\n11 Amendment of s 39C (Use of hand held scanner authorised by senior\npolice officer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6\n12 Amendment of s 39D (Form and effect of hand held scanner authority)\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7\n13 Replacement of ss 39E–39FC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7\n39E Authorised use of hand held scanner without warrant in\nstated public places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8\n\nContents\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPage 2\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n14 Amendment of s 39G (Requirements if hand held scanner indicates\nmetal) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8\n15 Amendment of s 39H (Safeguards for exercise of powers) . . . . . 8\n16 Omission of ss 39I and 39J . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9\n17 Omission of s 39L (Expiry of particular provisions) . . . . . . . . . . . 9\n18 Amendment of s 808C (Annual report to include information about\nauthorisation of hand held scanners) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9\n19 Amendment of sch 6 (Dictionary) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10\nPart 4 Amendment of State Emergency Service Act 2024\n20 Act amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10\n21 Replacement of pt 6, hdg (Transitional provisions for Emergency\nServices Reform Amendment Act 2024) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10\n22 Amendment of s 50 (Definitions for part) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10\n23 Insertion of new pt 6, div 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11\nDivision 2 Validation provisions for Police Powers and\nResponsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and\nOther Legislation Amendment Act 2025\n58 Validation provision for purported appointment of former SES\nmember . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11\n59 Validation provision for purported appointment of particular\nSES members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12\nPart 5 Amendment of Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act 2005\n24 Act amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13\n25 Amendment of s 83 (Sunset provision) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13\n\n2025\nA Bill\nfor\nAn Act to amend the Marine Rescue Queensland Act 2024, the\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000, the State\nEmergency Service Act 2024 and the Terrorism (Preventative\nDetention) Act 2005 for particular purposes\n\nPage 4\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 1]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 1 Preliminary\nThe Parliament of Queensland enacts—\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Police Powers and\nResponsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other\nLegislation Amendment Act 2025.\n2 Commencement\nPart 3 commences on a day to be fixed by proclamation.\nPart 2 Amendment of Marine Rescue\nQueensland Act 2024\n3 Act amended\nThis part amends the Marine Rescue Queensland Act 2024.\n4 Insertion of new s 28A\nPart 4—\ninsert—\n28A MRQ is charitable institution\nMRQ is a charitable institution in relation to a\ngift, donation, bequest or legacy to MRQ under a\ntrust instrument or other document.\n1\n2\nClause 3\n4\n5\n6\nClause 7\n8\n9\n10\nClause 11\n12\nClause 13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n\nPage 5\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 5]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000\nPart 3 Amendment of Police Powers\nand Responsibilities Act 2000\n5 Act amended\nThis part amends the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act\n2000.\n6 Amendment of s 30 (Prescribed circumstances for\nsearching persons without warrant)\nSection 30(1)(l), from ‘section 39E’ to ‘39FB’—\nomit, insert—\nsection 39BA, 39E\n7 Amendment of ch 2, pt 3A, hdg (Jack’s Law—Use of hand\nheld scanners without warrant in particular places)\nChapter 2, part 3A, heading, from ‘in’—\nomit.\n8 Insertion of new s 39AA\nBefore section 39A—\ninsert—\n39AA Purpose of part\nThe purpose of this part is to detect or deter the\ncommission of an offence involving the\npossession or use of a knife or other weapon.\n9 Amendment of s 39A (Definitions for part)\nSection 39A, definition hand held scanner authority, ‘section\n39C(6)’—\nomit, insert—\n1\n2\nClause 3\n4\n5\nClause 6\n7\n8\n9\n10\nClause 11\n12\n13\n14\nClause 15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\nClause 22\n23\n24\n25\n\nPage 6\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 10]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000\nsection 39C(3)\n10 Insertion of new s 39BA\nAfter section 39B—\ninsert—\n39BA Use of hand held scanner without warrant in\nrelevant places\n(1) A police officer may, without a warrant, require a\nperson to stop and submit to the use of a hand held\nscanner in a public place at, in or on any of the\nfollowing places (each a relevant place)—\n(a) licensed premises;\n(b) a public transport station;\n(c) a public transport vehicle;\n(d) retail premises;\n(e) a safe night precinct;\n(f) a shopping centre;\n(g) a sporting or entertainment venue.\n(2) If a police officer starts to exercise a power in\nrelation to a person under subsection (1) while at,\nin or on a relevant place, the police officer may\ncontinue to exercise the power in a public place in\nrelation to the person, even if the person leaves\nthe relevant place.\n11 Amendment of s 39C (Use of hand held scanner\nauthorised by senior police officer)\n(1) Section 39C, heading—\nomit, insert—\n39C Authorisation by senior police officer\n(2) Section 39C(1), from ‘any of’—\n1\nClause 2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\nClause 24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n\nPage 7\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 12]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000\nomit, insert—\na public place, other than a relevant place under\nsection 39BA(1).\n(3) Section 39C(2), from ‘if—’—\nomit, insert—\nif the senior police officer considers the use of a\nhand held scanner at, in or on the public place is\nlikely to be effective to detect or deter the\ncommission of an offence involving the\npossession or use of a knife or other weapon.\n(4) Section 39C(3) to (5)—\nomit.\n(5) Section 39C(6)—\nrenumber as section 39C(3).\n12 Amendment of s 39D (Form and effect of hand held\nscanner authority)\n(1) Section 39D(1)(a), after ‘starts’—\ninsert—\nand ends\n(2) Section 39D(1)(b)—\nomit, insert—\n(b) the address, place name or description of the\npublic place for which the authority is\nissued; and\n(c) the reasons for which the authority is issued\nfor the public place.\n13 Replacement of ss 39E–39FC\nSections 39E to 39FC—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\nClause 15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\nClause 27\n28\n\nPage 8\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 14]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000\nomit, insert—\n39E Authorised use of hand held scanner without\nwarrant in stated public places\n(1) This section applies if a hand held scanner\nauthority is in effect for a stated public place\nunder section 39C.\n(2) A police officer may, without a warrant, require a\nperson to stop and submit to the use of a hand held\nscanner in a public place at, in or on the stated\npublic place.\n(3) If a police officer starts to exercise a power in\nrelation to a person under subsection (2) while at,\nin or on the stated public place, the police officer\nmay continue to exercise the power in a public\nplace in relation to the person, even if the person\nleaves the stated place.\n14 Amendment of s 39G (Requirements if hand held scanner\nindicates metal)\n(1) Section 39G(1)(a), ‘a hand held scanner authority’—\nomit, insert—\nsection 39BA or 39E\n(2) Section 39G(2), notes—\nomit, insert—\nNote—\nSee sections 29 and 30(1)(l) for the power to search a\nperson without a warrant.\n15 Amendment of s 39H (Safeguards for exercise of powers)\n(1) Section 39H(1), ‘a hand held scanner authority’—\nomit, insert—\nsection 39BA or 39E\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\nClause 17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\nClause 27\n28\n29\n30\n\nPage 9\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 16]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000\n(2) Section 39H(4)(e)—\nomit, insert—\n(e) inform the person that a failure to comply\nwith a requirement under section 39BA, 39E\nor 39G is a prescribed circumstance under\nsection 30(1)(l).\nNote—\nSee sections 29 and 30(1)(l) for the power to search a\nperson without a warrant.\n(3) Section 39H(6)—\nomit.\n16 Omission of ss 39I and 39J\nSections 39I and 39J—\nomit.\n17 Omission of s 39L (Expiry of particular provisions)\nSection 39L—\nomit.\n18 Amendment of s 808C (Annual report to include\ninformation about authorisation of hand held scanners)\n(1) Section 808C, heading, ‘authorisation of’—\nomit.\n(2) Section 808C(1)(b)—\nomit.\n(3) Section 808C(1)(c)(i) to (iv), ‘the authorities’—\nomit, insert—\nsection 39BA or 39E\n(4) Section 808C(1)(c)—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\nClause 12\n13\n14\nClause 15\n16\n17\nClause 18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n\nPage 10\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 19]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 4 Amendment of State Emergency Service Act 2024\nrenumber as section 808C(1)(b).\n19 Amendment of sch 6 (Dictionary)\nSchedule 6, definition hand held scanner authority, ‘section\n39C(6)’—\nomit, insert—\nsection 39C(3)\nPart 4 Amendment of State\nEmergency Service Act 2024\n20 Act amended\nThis part amends the State Emergency Service Act 2024.\n21 Replacement of pt 6, hdg (Transitional provisions for\nEmergency Services Reform Amendment Act 2024)\nPart 6, heading—\nomit, insert—\nPart 6 Transitional and\nvalidation provisions\nDivision 1 Transitional provisions for\nEmergency Services\nReform Amendment Act\n2024\n22 Amendment of s 50 (Definitions for part)\n(1) Section 50, heading, ‘part’—\n1\nClause 2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\nClause 9\n10\nClause 11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\nClause 21\n22\n\nPage 11\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 23]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 4 Amendment of State Emergency Service Act 2024\nomit, insert—\ndivision\n(2) Section 50, ‘this part’—\nomit, insert—\nthis division\n23 Insertion of new pt 6, div 2\nPart 6—\ninsert—\nDivision 2 Validation provisions for\nPolice Powers and\nResponsibilities (Making\nJack’s Law Permanent)\nand Other Legislation\nAmendment Act 2025\n58 Validation provision for purported\nappointment of former SES member\n(1) This section applies if, before the relevant\ncommencement, a person (the appointee) was\npurportedly appointed as a member of the former\nSES under the Fire Services Act 1990, former\nsection 132.\nNote—\nThe Fire Services Act 1990 was previously titled the\nFire and Emergency Services Act 1990.\n(2) Without limiting subsection (1), this section\napplies if the purported appointment was made by\na person purporting to perform the delegated\nfunction of the QFES commissioner under the\nFire Services Act 1990, former section 132.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\nClause 6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n\nPage 12\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 23]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 4 Amendment of State Emergency Service Act 2024\n(3) The appointee is taken to have been validly\nappointed until—\n(a) if the purported appointment had ended on a\nday before the relevant\ncommencement—the end of that day; or\n(b) if paragraph (a) does not apply—the\nrelevant commencement.\n(4) Anything done or omitted to be done by the\nappointee during the period of the purported\nappointment that would have been valid and\nlawful under the former Act had the appointee\nbeen validly appointed as a member of the former\nSES is taken to be, and always to have been, valid\nand lawful.\n(5) In this section—\nformer, in relation to a provision, means the\nprovision as in force from time to time before the\nrelevant commencement.\nformer Act means the Fire Services Act 1990 as in\nforce from time to time before the relevant\ncommencement.\nformer SES means the State Emergency Service\nestablished under the Fire Services Act 1990,\nformer section 129.\nQFES commissioner means the commissioner\nappointed under the Fire Services Act 1990,\nformer section 5.\nrelevant commencement means the\ncommencement of section 51.\n59 Validation provision for purported\nappointment of particular SES members\n(1) This section applies if a person (the appointee)\nwas at any time purportedly appointed as a\nmember of the SES under section 16 by a person\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n33\n34\n\nPage 13\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n[s 24]\nPolice Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Bill 2025\nPart 5 Amendment of Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act 2005\npurporting to perform the delegated function of\nthe commissioner under that section.\n(2) The appointee is taken to have been validly\nappointed.\n(3) Anything done or omitted to be done by the\nappointee during the period of the purported\nappointment that would have been valid and\nlawful under this Act had the appointee been\nvalidly appointed as a member of the SES is taken\nto be, and always to have been, valid and lawful.\nPart 5 Amendment of Terrorism\n(Preventative Detention) Act\n2005\n24 Act amended\nThis part amends the Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act\n2005.\n25 Amendment of s 83 (Sunset provision)\n(1) Section 83, heading—\nomit, insert—\n83 Expiry\n(2) Section 83(1), from ‘at’—\nomit, insert—\non 16 December 2040.\n© State of Queensland 2025\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\nClause 14\n15\n16\nClause 17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"summary":{"status_summary":"The Bill received royal assent on an unspecified date in 2025; Part 3 (Jack's Law permanent provisions) will commence on a day to be fixed by proclamation, while the other parts commenced on assent.","complexity_score":5,"likely_questions":["When will Part 3 (the permanent Jack's Law) actually commence?","Which exact locations are 'relevant places' where police can scan without any authorisation?","Can police scan me if I am just walking past a shopping centre but not inside?","What happens if I refuse to stop for a scanner?","Does the Bill create any new offence or penalty?","Why were the SES appointments validated retroactively?","What is the current expiry date for the Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act and what changes?","Does the Bill require police to record or report data on scanner usage?"],"complexity_factors":["Amends four separate Acts with different subject matter","Removes a sunset clause and replaces it with permanent operation","Creates a new category of 'relevant places' for automatic warrantless scanning","Includes retroactive validation provisions for administrative appointments","Extends a sunset for counter-terrorism preventative detention powers","Changes reporting and authorisation requirements in the parent Act"],"plain_english_summary":"This Bill makes permanent and widens police warrantless hand‑held metal detector (wand) powers—removing the sunset and allowing scans in licensed venues, transport hubs, retail and shopping centres, safe‑night precincts and entertainment/sporting venues, and to continue scanning in public if a person leaves—aimed at detecting or deterring knife/weapon offences, with updated notice and reporting safeguards. It also declares Marine Rescue Queensland charitable for gifts, validates certain past SES appointments, and extends the Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act’s sunset to 16 December 2040."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The Bill moves the police hand‑held scanner regime from a time‑limited or trial posture into a permanent, integrated power (omission of the expiry clause s 39L and insertion of s 39BA). It also broadens the statutory structure by formally listing a set of \"relevant places\" where scanners may be used without a warrant, links refusal to statutory grounds for warrantless search, and changes authorisation and reporting processes. In addition, the Bill expands beyond the policing measure to add unrelated administrative changes: formal charitable recognition for Marine Rescue Queensland (new s 28A), retrospective validation of certain SES appointments (ss 58–59), and an extended sunset for the Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act (s 83). Those latter additions broaden the Bill’s scope well beyond a sole focus on the temporary scanner regime."},"complexity_factors":["Amendments across four separate Acts (Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000; Marine Rescue Queensland Act 2024; State Emergency Service Act 2024; Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act 2005).","Replacement of a block of provisions (ss 39E–39FC) with restructured sections, creating substantial textual reworking.","Multiple cross‑references amended (notably s 30(1)(l), s 39A definition changes, s 39D, s 39G, s 39H and s 808C), increasing room for interpretive interaction.","Insertion of new operational powers (new s 39BA) with conditional continuance rules (power continues if person leaves the place) that interact with existing search powers.","Removal of an expiry (s 39L omitted) and omission of several sections (39I, 39J and s 39H(6)) which changes temporal and safeguard architecture.","New validation (retrospective) provisions in the SES Act (ss 58–59) that operate with temporal conditions and multiple defined terms (former, former Act, relevant commencement).","Form and disclosure requirements for senior police authorisations changed (start/end times, place details, reasons) requiring administrative processes and recordkeeping.","Conditional commencement (Part 3 commences by proclamation) and renumbering/renaming in schedules and headings (administrative complexity).","Renumbering of subsections and revision of definitions (e.g., hand held scanner authority references updated) increases cross‑reading complexity."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this Bill does (mechanics)\n\n- Makes the temporary \"Jack's Law\" powers in the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 permanent and reorganises how those powers are expressed in the Act.\n  - Inserts a new section (s 39BA) that allows a police officer, without a warrant, to require a person to stop and submit to a hand‑held metal detector (hand held scanner) in a public place at, in or on specified \"relevant places\": licensed premises, public transport stations, public transport vehicles, retail premises, safe night precincts, shopping centres, and sporting or entertainment venues (see s 39BA). If the power starts while a person is at one of those places, police may continue to exercise it even if the person leaves the place (s 39BA(2)).\n  - Retains a separate authorisation route (s 39C) allowing a senior police officer to authorise use of hand held scanners in other public places (that is, public places other than the listed \"relevant places\"), where the senior officer considers the use is \"likely to be effective to detect or deter\" offences involving knives or other weapons (s 39C(2)).\n  - Replaces and reworks the old sections about where and how the hand held scanner power could be used (replaces ss 39E–39FC with new ss including 39E and associated changes) and updates safeguards and reporting cross‑references to reflect the new structure (see ss 39E, 39G, 39H and amendments to s 808C).\n  - Changes the required content of a senior officer's authority to state start and end times, the place name/address, and the reasons for issuing the authority (s 39D amendments).\n  - Links non‑compliance with a scanner requirement to the existing prescribed circumstances for a warrantless search (amendment to s 30(1)(l) and notes in s 39G and s 39H) — in short, failure to comply can be a ground for searching a person without a warrant.\n  - Removes the expiry (sunset) clause that previously limited these scanner powers to a fixed period (omits s 39L), thereby making them ongoing once commenced.\n\n- Gives Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ) explicit status as a \"charitable institution\" for the purposes of gifts, donations, bequests and legacies under a trust instrument or other document (new s 28A in the Marine Rescue Queensland Act 2024).\n\n- Adds transitional/validation clauses to the State Emergency Service Act 2024 to retrospectively validate certain purported appointments of SES members made under the old Fire Services Act 1990 or by a person purporting to perform the commissioner's delegated function (new Division 2, ss 58–59).\n\n- Changes the expiry date for the Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act 2005 so that the Act now expires on 16 December 2040 (amendment to s 83).\n\n\nWhy the Bill says it matters (stated purpose)\n\n- The Bill’s stated aim for the police provisions is \"to detect or deter the commission of an offence involving the possession or use of a knife or other weapon\" (new s 39AA). The other changes are presented as administrative/technical: recognising MRQ as charitable for gifts (s 28A), validating certain SES appointments made during transitions (ss 58–59), and extending the Terrorism Act’s expiry date (s 83).\n\n\nWho this affects and how (practical effects)\n\n- Members of the public who are in the listed \"relevant places\" (licensed premises, transport, retail, shopping centres, safe night precincts, sporting/entertainment venues) become subject to a police power to be required to stop and submit to a hand‑held scanner without a warrant (s 39BA).\n- People who refuse or fail to comply with that scanner requirement can be treated as being in a \"prescribed circumstance\" under s 30(1)(l), which is a statutory trigger that allows a police officer to search a person without a warrant (amendments to s 30 and references in s 39H and s 39G).\n- Police decide where to deploy scanner powers in the listed places and senior police officers decide whether to authorise scanner use in other public places (ss 39BA and 39C). Authorities must set start/end times, place details and reasons in an authority (s 39D).\n- Marine Rescue Queensland gains formal recognition as a charitable institution for gifts and bequests (new s 28A) — this affects donors, MRQ and trustees dealing with trust instruments.\n- Persons whose appointments to the SES were made under the old Fire Services Act or by someone purporting to exercise delegated functions are retrospectively validated (ss 58–59), so acts done by them while appointed are treated as valid and lawful.\n- The Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act remains in force for an extended period (now until 16 December 2040) (s 83).\n\n\nCosts, incentives, trade‑offs and implementation risks (testing the Bill’s claims)\n\n- Who pays: the direct operational cost is borne by police agencies (equipment, training, staff time). The public pays in the sense that people attending the listed places may be required to submit to screening and face a search if they do not comply (see s 39BA and the cross‑reference to s 30(1)(l)).\n\n- Who decides: police and senior police officers exercise substantial discretion — they decide where (within the listed places and, via authorisation, in other public places) and when to use scanners, and the reasons to record on an authority must be set out (s 39D amendments). The Act places reporting requirements on the Commissioner (amended s 808C), but the text removes an explicit sunset check and omits some previously temporary safeguards.\n\n- Behavioural effects and incentives: people in the relevant places may be more likely to consent to scanning; refusal or non‑compliance raises the legal exposure to a warrantless search under existing prescribed circumstances. That may deter carrying weapons but also creates stronger incentives to avoid those public places or to avoid compliance — enforcement/resource allocation decisions will shape real‑world effects.\n\n- Compliance burden and administrative costs: police must manage authorisations, record reasons, publish or report use in annual reports (s 808C changes), and train officers in the legal and procedural limits of the power. Businesses and venue operators may face increased interactions with police at licensed premises, shopping centres and venues.\n\n- Oversight and safeguards: the Bill retains some safeguards (see amended s 39H referencing information police must give), but it removes the expiry clause (s 39L omitted) and omits sections 39I and 39J and s 39H(6) (the Bill does not include the text of those omitted subsections, but their removal reduces the statutory layering of temporary or transitional constraints). That reduces a built‑in temporal review mechanism and may limit an opportunity for periodic parliamentary reassessment of the measure.\n\n- Concentrated benefits and diffuse costs: benefits (easier screening at particular public locations) accrue to police and to persons who prefer increased policing in those venues; costs (greater routine contact with police and potential for warrantless searches) are distributed across all patrons of the listed places.\n\n- Implementation risks: reliance on new equipment and officer training, risk of inconsistent exercise of discretion across locations, record‑keeping and reporting gaps (noting some reporting items were renumbered/reshaped in s 808C), and potential legal challenges over the scope of \"public place\" or compliance/consent issues when private premises have public access.\n\n\nConcrete statutory references (examples)\n\n- Permanent authorised warrantless scanning in stated venues: new s 39BA (use without warrant in relevant places).\n- Senior officer authorisation for other public places and authority content: amended s 39C and s 39D.\n- Failure to comply linked to warrantless search powers: amendments to s 30(1)(l), and the notes/links in s 39G and s 39H.\n- Removal of sunset for these powers: omission of s 39L.\n- MRQ charitable status: new s 28A in the Marine Rescue Queensland Act 2024.\n- Validation of certain SES appointments: new ss 58–59 in the State Emergency Service Act 2024.\n- Extension of Terrorism (Preventative Detention) Act expiry to 16 December 2040: amended s 83.\n\n\nBottom line (practical takeaway)\n\n- The Bill makes ongoing a warrantless, hand‑held metal scanning power in a long list of commonly visited public venues and links non‑compliance with those scanner directions to grounds for a warrantless search. It also cleans up related statutory authorisation, reporting and form requirements, gives MRQ explicit charitable recognition for gifts, validates certain transitional SES appointments retrospectively, and extends the expiry of the preventive detention framework. Those changes increase police discretion and remove a statutory sunset that previously created a built‑in review point; the practical effects will depend on how often and where police choose to use the powers and how oversight and reporting are implemented.\n"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/police-powers-and-responsibilities-making-jack-s-law-permanent-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2025","history":"/api/acts/police-powers-and-responsibilities-making-jack-s-law-permanent-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/police-powers-and-responsibilities-making-jack-s-law-permanent-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/police-powers-and-responsibilities-making-jack-s-law-permanent-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/police-powers-and-responsibilities-making-jack-s-law-permanent-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/police-powers-and-responsibilities-making-jack-s-law-permanent-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2025/documents"}}