The bill brought on by the government last year, after it was first mooted by the Greens, sought to remove the offence from the Police Offences Act.

This was after a person appeared in Hobart's Magistrates Court on a number of begging offences.

In removing the offence, the government wanted to enhance the powers police officers had to encourage a person to move on if they deterred people from visiting a business or a public facility.

If police determined a person was exhibiting intimidating or harrassing behaviour in a place and did not comply with a direction to move on, they would be arrested for this - but not for begging.

Labor members did not vote against this clause in the House of Assembly, but did so with a number of independent members in the Legislative Council.

Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb labelled the clause appallingly hypocritical and discriminatory.

Police Minister Mark Shelton urged Labor support the move-on clause when the bill returned to the lower house.

This clause does not have the support of the Greens.

Parliament will sit again on October 13.