A state of emergency has been declared pursuant to the Emergencies Act 2004 (ACT) 156.  Details can be found on the Emergency Services Agency’s website at https://esa.act.gov.au/state-emergency-place-act or you can read the formal declaration here – Emergencies (State of Emergency) Declaration 2020 (No1) (31 January 2020).

The ACT Chief Police officer has been delegated to exercise emergency powers under s 160A (see Emergencies (Emergency Controller) Delegation 2020 (No 2) (31 January 2020)).  The ACT Chief Police Officer has, in turn, delegated his authority to all police and protective service officers (Emergencies (Chief Police Officer) Delegation 2020 (No 2) (31 January 2020)).  That means all ACT police and protective services officers can:

(2) For the management of the declared state of emergency…

(a)            direct the movement of people, animals or vehicles within, into or around the area to which the state of emergency applies (the emergency area); and

(b)           give directions regulating or prohibiting the movement of people, animals or vehicles within, into or around the emergency area; and

(c)            direct, in writing, the owner of property in or near the emergency area to place the property under the control, or at the disposal, of the emergency controller; and

(d)           direct a person to give information, answer questions, or produce documents or anything else, reasonably needed; and

(e)            take possession of any premises, animal, substance or thing in or near the emergency area