WA Police Search and Exclusion Powers for Land Forces Security Areas

Land Forces Event (Special Powers) Bill 2026

10 Sep 2026: Passed by Parliament and signed off by the governor.

This bill kicks in: TBA

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

civil liberties personal privacy police powers public safety search and seizure security screening stop and search

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Police officers can stop people in Land Forces security areas and require them to provide their full name, date of birth, and residential address.
Police officers can use metal detectors or arch scanners on people and their belongings entering or inside Land Forces security areas.
Police officers can detain people in Land Forces security areas for as long as necessary to ensure they undergo metal detector scanning.
Police officers can stop, detain, and search people and vehicles in Land Forces security areas; they can move vehicles or force people to get out.
Police officers can ban people from Land Forces security areas if they are on an excluded persons list, refuse to identify themselves, or carry prohibited items.
It is a criminal offence to behave threateningly or carry or use a prohibited item in a Land Forces security area if it risks the safety of the public or the event.
People who refuse to provide personal details upon removal or ignore police directions in Land Forces security areas face up to one year in prison and a 2,000 fine.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Matthew Swinbourn ALP

“I move: That the bill be now read a second time. Between 6 and 8 October 2026, Western Australia will host the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Australia’s premier defence conference and trade show, with more than 10,000 attendees expected, including visitors from interstate and overseas.”

Official source →

Reece Whitby ALP

“I move: That the bill be now read a second time. Between 6 and 8 October 2026, Western Australia will host the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition 2026, Australia’s premier defence conference and trade show, with more than 10,000 attendees expected, including visitors from interstate and overseas.”

Official source →

News articles and press releases

Special Powers laws for Land Forces 2026 pass WA Parliament

Reece Whitby, WA Police Minister — 2026-09-16

We saw the scenes that occurred when Land Forces was held in Melbourne in 2024, and we do not want to see anything like that here in Perth, which is why it is crucial these laws have now passed.