Selling knives and replica firearms to juveniles will be banned in Queensland, as part of a range of measures to tackle youth crime.
Police Minister Mark Ryan says it will become an offence to sell knives, certain other bladed items and replica firearms, including gel blasters, to anyone under 18.
Items being banned include daggers, double-ended blades, machetes, sickles or scythes, spear-guns, spears, axes, tomahawks, and swords.
It will also be an offence to try to use a fake ID to buy the contraband.
“These laws will assist in keeping dangerous items out of the hands of young criminals, before violent offences can occur,” Mr. Ryan said on Sunday.
“This will go hand in hand with the expansion of Jack’s Law, which is saving lives and reducing violence across Queensland every single day.”
The Labor government has expanded legislation allowing police to use personal metal detectors or “wands” to search people in so-called “Safe Night Precincts” as well as on public transport.
Officers have used the hand-held scanners in crime hotspot areas since March after the extension of Jack’s Law, created after the stabbing death of 17-year-old Jack Beasley on the Gold Coast in 2019.
Police say 904 people have been charged with almost 1,600 offences between April and November, mostly drugs and weapons-related.
Jack’s father, Brett Beasley, who set up the Jack Beasley Foundation after his son’s death, said he and Jack’s mother welcomed the changes to the law.
“Belinda and I will always grieve for Jack, but it is very heartening to see that his legacy lives on,” he said.
“Six months after Jack’s Law came into effect it’s really encouraging to see that police are using Jack’s legacy to undertake wanding operations right across the state.”
Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Hart, a member of the Youth Crime Taskforce, said the law change would help police prevent knife crime.
“It will allow officers to take action against those unlawfully selling weapons to young people, who may intend to use them to commit violent offences,” he said.
The head of the Australian Retailers Association Paul Zahra said the industry would work with police to ensure people were aware of the change to the law.
“We are willing to work with the government to get the laws consistent with those of other states to make it easier for retailers to implement and ultimately protect retail staff and businesses.”
Retailers will be required to display signage regarding the prohibition on sales to juveniles and cannot advertise certain weapons as “suitable for combat.”
