newy.com.au – Police Minister and Hunter Minister Yasmin Catley has announced NSW will make knife-wanding powers permanent, with police to keep using handheld metal-detecting scanners to target knives and other dangerous weapons in public places.
Legislation to be introduced on Thursday will turn the powers, first brought in on a trial basis in 2024 and modelled on Jack’s Law, into an ongoing part of NSW policing. The move follows a statutory review of the current laws and a recommendation from the Bondi Junction Coronial Inquest to consider making the powers permanent.
The laws allow police to declare certain public places as “designated areas”, where officers can stop and scan people with handheld metal-detecting devices. The operations are run across NSW under Operation ARES, a high-visibility policing operation aimed at detecting and seizing knives from public places.
Under the changes, declarations will be able to remain in force for 24 hours, up from 12 hours. Police will also be able to declare major entertainment venues as designated areas, expanding the scheme beyond public transport stations, shopping precincts and sporting venues.
Ms Catley said the Government was giving police stronger powers to reduce the risk posed by knives in public.
“We are backing police with stronger, permanent powers to take dangerous weapons off our streets and keep the community safe.
“We have seen too many families’ lives torn apart from senseless knife attacks, our thoughts are with the Beasleys, the Toughers and anyone impacted by the Bondi Junction attack.
“Police have already seized hundreds of weapons under these laws. Every weapon taken off the street is a potential tragedy prevented and a potential life saved.
“NSW has some of the toughest knife laws in the country and only the Minns Labor Government will continue to support police with the powers and tools they need to target illegal possession and keep us safe.”
Since Operation ARES began, police have conducted 59,228 scans during 406 wanding operations across NSW. Those operations have led to 380 weapons being seized, 200 charges for weapons offences, 68 infringements or diversions for weapons offences, and 17 people being charged with failing to comply with scanning.
NSW Police have seized more than 15,000 knives from public places since April 2023. The Government says police have removed more than 15,000 weapons from public places and taken action against more than 8,000 people since it came to office in 2023.
Attorney General Michael Daley said the permanent powers would build on previous knife crime reforms, including doubling maximum penalties for knife crime from two to four years’ imprisonment and restricting the sale of knives to 16 and 17-year-olds without a reasonable excuse.
“The Government moved early on knife crime, doubling maximum penalties and restricting their sale. Knife crime has fallen since then, but we know there are still too many of these dangerous weapons on our streets.
“These permanent wanding powers will allow NSW Police to continue targeting these offenders and respond to recommendations from the NSW Coroner.
“Importantly, these reforms maintain appropriate safeguards by retaining the need for a declaration to be made while ensuring crowded areas such as major entertainment venues are covered by the scheme.”
Acting Deputy Commissioner Rod Smith, Metropolitan Field Operations, said knife-wanding operations were an important tool for police dealing with knife crime across the state.
“Knife wanding operations are a vital tool in our efforts to combat the scourge of knife crime across the state.
“We will continue to apply these laws fairly and transparently, and all declarations of designated areas will be published on our website. To declare an area for these operations, we must meet a clear threshold. This threshold includes that within the previous 12 months, a knife or weapons offence or at least one serious indictable offence involving violence against a person, must have occurred at that location.
“I welcome the expansion to allow major entertainment venues to be declared as designated areas, alongside public transport stations, shopping precincts and sporting venues. It is essential that people can go about their daily lives without fear of being targeted by individuals who choose to carry weapons on our streets.”
The Government says making the powers permanent will bring NSW into line with similar schemes elsewhere in Australia. Operation ARES will continue alongside other police operations targeting knives and dangerous weapons, including Operation FOIL.
