Sydney - Australia has its first shopping centre with a ban on hooded clothing, news reports said Thursday.

Tweed City Shopping Centre in the east coast town of Tweed Heads announced that hoodies, such as hooded sweatshirts, would be banned after sunset on Thursdays on a trial basis.

Tweed City manager Michael Tree said the move was about curbing shoplifting rather than enforcing a dress code.

"We haven't been walking around targeting people," he said. "It was all about disguising your appearance to the security cameras."

Tweed Heads police are happy with the ban, which they say is completely legal. dpa