Knife horrors spark call out for new laws
Written by admin on July 21, 2024
South Australia will consider giving police officers greater search powers as part of a sweep of reforms to crack down on knife violence in the wake of the Bondi massacre in Sydney and the Westfield Marion shopping centre meltdown in Adelaide.
SA Attorney-General Kyam Maher announced the potential reforms on Sunday, saying the government would consider expanding police metal detector search powers on public transport, increasing the age for the purchase knives from 16 to 18 years and introducing a registration scheme for certain categories of knives.
Mr Maher has invited the public to submit their views on how best to reduce knife violence in the state, with submissions open until August 25.
“Incidents both locally and interstate highlight just why it’s so important our knife crime laws are responsible, tough and able to help authorities keep our community safe,” he said.
“South Australia has often led the nation with addressing knife crime, including significant criminal offences for carrying knives and measures to keep them out of the hands of children, and now is an opportune time to look at how we can improve on our existing laws.
“This discussion paper canvasses several options to strengthen our laws, including preventative measures such as restricting access to knives and a licence for people wishing to own certain types of knives.
“We are also keen to explore the possibility of whether police powers should be expanded, by allowing them to conduct metal detector searches on public transport.”
The looming crack down follows the Bondi massacre in Sydney in April, in which six people lost their lives at the hands of a deranged man with a knife, and a meltdown at Adelaide Westfield Marion shopping centre in June.
A fracas between teen boys at the Adelaide centre sparked panic and the centre’s emergency lockdown procedures, with specialist tactical police storming the centre and hundreds of shoppers fleeing in fear.
The police allege one of the boys was carrying a machete in the melee.
There were no injuries from the altercation between the boys, but a woman in her 70s and a teenage girl suffered injuries in the panic and evacuation that ensued.
Tough new laws on knife crime are in place in Queensland under the name “Jack’s Law”.
The legislation, passed in March 2023, gives the police greater search powers to find and confiscate dangerous weapons, allowing cops to “wand”, or move a detector over a person, at designated zones such as public transport hubs.
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley has said her government is considering similar measures.
