Following a recent mall altercation involving machetes, Victoria fast-tracked its machete ban, demonstrating a commitment to addressing rising youth violence and ensuring safer community spaces.
**Victoria's Swift Response: Machete Sale Ban Following Violent Shopping Centre Clash**
**Victoria's Swift Response: Machete Sale Ban Following Violent Shopping Centre Clash**
In a groundbreaking move, Victoria enacts Australia’s first machete sales ban to enhance public safety after recent gang violence.
In a swift legislative response, Victoria has announced it will enforce a ban on the sale of machetes starting this Wednesday, ahead of an originally planned September rollout. The urgency for this action arose after a violent altercation involving rival gangs at the Northland shopping centre in Preston, Melbourne, which left a 20-year-old in serious condition.
Premier Jacinta Allan expressed that the measure aims to "choke the supply" of such dangerous weapons, emphasizing that shopping venues should remain safe spaces for families. "We must never let the places where we gather become areas of fear," she stated during a press conference following the incident.
The violence, which broke out on a Sunday afternoon, led to the arrest of four individuals, with two boys aged 16 and 15 charged with various offenses, including affray and possession of a controlled weapon. Meanwhile, police clarified that this was a premeditated fight, with no innocent bystanders harmed. Deputy Commissioner David Clayton noted that while youth knife crime is uncommon in Victoria, such incidents are alarming, especially as one in ten knife-related crimes involve minors, often occurring in public locales.
The sales ban on machetes—defined as knives with blades longer than 20cm—excludes kitchen knives and comes alongside a three-month amnesty period starting in September where individuals can surrender their machetes at designated police stations. The government's move closely mirrors efforts in the UK, where a similar ban on "zombie-style" knives was implemented last fall. With the community's safety and well-being at stake, the Victorian government is committed to swiftly addressing the issue of knife crime and ensuring public spaces remain safe for everyone.
Premier Jacinta Allan expressed that the measure aims to "choke the supply" of such dangerous weapons, emphasizing that shopping venues should remain safe spaces for families. "We must never let the places where we gather become areas of fear," she stated during a press conference following the incident.
The violence, which broke out on a Sunday afternoon, led to the arrest of four individuals, with two boys aged 16 and 15 charged with various offenses, including affray and possession of a controlled weapon. Meanwhile, police clarified that this was a premeditated fight, with no innocent bystanders harmed. Deputy Commissioner David Clayton noted that while youth knife crime is uncommon in Victoria, such incidents are alarming, especially as one in ten knife-related crimes involve minors, often occurring in public locales.
The sales ban on machetes—defined as knives with blades longer than 20cm—excludes kitchen knives and comes alongside a three-month amnesty period starting in September where individuals can surrender their machetes at designated police stations. The government's move closely mirrors efforts in the UK, where a similar ban on "zombie-style" knives was implemented last fall. With the community's safety and well-being at stake, the Victorian government is committed to swiftly addressing the issue of knife crime and ensuring public spaces remain safe for everyone.
