There are a number of barring orders that are issued in different circumstances. The barring orders covered in this section include:

Liquor Licensing Act Barring Orders

Traditionally the power to bar or remove patrons from licensed premises has been left to the licensee of the premises. This was an extension of the common law right of publicans to refuse service.

These powers have been extended to police under the Liquor Licensing Act 1997 (SA).

Under the Act there is both a right to remove or refuse entry and a power to bar a person from licensed premises.

Power to remove or refuse entry

Under section 124 of the Liquor Licensing Act 1997 (SA) a licensee, police officer or approved crowd controller may use reasonable force if necessary to remove a person or prevent entry of a person onto licensed premises if they are intoxicated or behaving in a disorderly or offensive manner.

Offence: A person removed from licensed premises under section 124 who re-enters the premises within 24 hours is guilty of an offence and may be arrested without a warrant.

Maximum penalty: a fine of up to $2,500 [s 132].

Barring Orders

There are effectively three types of barring orders under the Liquor Licensing Act 1997 (SA) and although the consequence of the orders is the same, the basis on which they are issued differ significantly:

Licensee barring orders

A licensee (or person responsible for the licensed premises) may serve an order on a person barring them for a specified period.

The grounds on which an order can be made are:

For the purposes of issuing such an order a police officer may provide a licensee with information about the person.

An order issued on the basis of concern for the welfare of a person or of their dependant(s) can be for an indefinite or a specified period.

In other cases the following limitations apply:

A person who enters or remains on a licensed premises from which they have been barred is guilty of an offence with a maximum penalty of a fine of up to $5 000 or an expiation fee of $315 [Liquor Licensing Act 1997 (SA) s 125(2)].

A licensee, a responsible person, or an employee of a licensed premises who allows a person to enter or remain on a licensed premises from which they have been barred is also guilty of an offence, with a maximum penalty of a fine of up to $5,000 or an expiation fee of $315 [see s 125(4)].

Commissioner of Police barring orders

The Commissioner of Police has the power to issue an order barring a person from licensed premises for either an indefinite period of time or a specific time (a barring order) [s 125A].

The ban might be for a specific venue or for licensed premises in a specified area. All that is required is a reasonable ground.

Generally such orders will be issued on the basis of ‘criminal intelligence’ and, if this is the case, then the details of this intelligence will not be disclosed on the order. All that needs be stated on the order is that it would be contrary to the public interest if the person were not barred.

For the purposes of the Act criminal intelligence is any information relating to actual or suspected criminal activity (whether in South Australia or elsewhere), the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to prejudice criminal investigations, enable the discovery of the existence or identity of a confidential source of information or endanger a person’s life or physical safety.

The intention behind this type of barring order is to ensure that the Commissioner of Police has such powers as are necessary to curb outlaw motorcycle gangs andorganised crime groups from intimidating licensees and using their premises to commit criminal acts.

Police officer barring orders

Barring orders can also be issued by police officers under section 125B. These orders act similarly to the Commissioner of Police barring orders but are generally for a shorter period of time and are usually issued as the result of concerns about a person’s welfare or because of disorderly behaviour.

A police officer may bar a person from entering or remaining on licensed premises if they are satisfied that:

Where the ground for issuing the order is that of welfare of the person or a person living with them the order can be for an indefinite or specified period of time.

Where the ground for issuing the order is the commission of an offence, disorderly or offensive behaviour or any other reasonable ground, the order will remain in force:

A person who enters or remains on a licensed premises in contravention of a Police Barring Order or Commissioner of Police barring order is guilty of an offence with a maximum penalty of a fine of up to $5,000 or an expiation fee of $315 [Liquor Licensing Act 1997 (SA) s 125C(1)].

Power to require personal details

Police have the power to require that a person state their name and personal details if requested.

Offence: It is an offence to refuse to provide this information or to provide false information [s 125E].

Maximum penalty: $1,250

Appealing against a barring order

Where a barring order has been issued against a person they can apply to the licensing authority for a review of the order. Depending on the section of the legislation under which the order was issued the relevant licensing authority will be either the Licensing Court or the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner. This right of review exists only for persons who have been banned for a period exceeding one month.