Changes to the Public Transport (Passenger Safety) Act 2008

To create a safer environment for bus drivers and passengers, changes have been made to the Public Transport (Passenger Safety) Act 2008.

The changes aim to address anti-social behaviour:

• on a bus or at a bus stop
• at or in the vicinity of a bus interchange.

What these changes mean

As part of these changes:

• transit officers can now:
  • issue banning notices to people who engage in offensive, threatening, violent or disorderly conduct
  • arrest or deal with someone for a range of offences including assault and property damage eg. throwing rocks at buses
  • be equipped with OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray as a form of deterrence and self-defence and to help protect bus patrons.
• security officers can now:
  • demand a person to supply their name, date of birth and address
  • order a person to get off a bus or to stay away from a bus stop or bus interchange.

Under the Liquor Act 2019, Transit Officers can search for, seize and tip out alcohol where they suspect on reasonable grounds that a person has consumed alcohol in a prohibited public place, which includes the public bus network in the Greater Darwin area.

Read more about banning notices on the Northern Territory Government website.