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Summary Offences Amendment (Full-face Coverings Prohibition) Bill 2010Explanatory note
This explanatory note relates to this Bill as introduced into Parliament.
Overview of Bill
The object of this Bill is to make it an offence (maximum penalty of $550) for a person, without reasonable excuse, to wear a face covering while in a public place.
A face covering is defined as any article of clothing or other thing (such as a helmet) that hides the face of a person in a way that conceals the person's identity. The Bill provides that a person's religious or cultural belief does not constitute a reasonable excuse for the purposes of the proposed offence. The prohibition does not extend to the wearing of face coverings in churches or other places of worship.
The Bill also makes it an offence (maximum penalty of $1,100) to compel another person, by means of a threat, to commit the proposed offence of wearing a face covering in a public place.
Outline of provisions
Clause 1 sets out the name (also called the short title) of the proposed Act.
Clause 2 provides for the commencement of the proposed Act on the date of assent to the proposed Act.
Schedule 1 amends the Summary Offences Act 1988 for the purposes described in the above Overview.
Note: If this Bill is not modified, these Explanatory Notes would reflect the Bill as passed in the House. If the Bill has been amended by Committee, these Explanatory Notes may not necessarily reflect the Bill as passed.