South Australia will consider giving police officers greater search powers as part of a package of reforms to crack down on knife violence in the wake of the Bondi massacre in Sydney and the collapse of the Westfield Marion shopping centre in Adelaide.
South Africa’s attorney general Kyam Maher announced the potential reforms on Sunday, saying the government would consider expanding police metal detector search powers on public transport, raising the legal age to buy knives from 16 to 18, and introducing a registration system for some categories of knives.
Mr Maher called on the public to provide their views on how best to reduce knife violence in the state, with submissions open until August 25.
“These incidents, both locally and interstate, highlight the importance of our knife crime laws being responsible, tough and able to help authorities keep our communities safe,” he said.
“South Australia has often been a nation leader in tackling knife crime, including major criminal offences for carrying knives and measures to keep them out of the hands of children, and now is the time to look at how we can improve our existing laws.
“This discussion paper looks at several options for strengthening our laws, including preventative measures such as restricting access to knives and issuing licences to people who want to own certain types of knives.
“We are also keen to explore the possibility of expanding police powers, by allowing them to carry out searches using metal detectors on public transport.”
The tough measures come after the Bondi massacre in Sydney in April, in which six people were killed by a mentally ill knife-wielding man, and a nervous breakdown at the Westfield Marion shopping centre in Adelaide in June.
A brawl between teenage boys at an Adelaide mall has sparked panic and prompted the centre to impose emergency lockdown measures, with specialist tactical police storming the mall and hundreds of shoppers fleeing in fear.
Police allege one of the boys was carrying a knife in the altercation.
There were no injuries as a result of the fight between the boys, but a woman in her 70s and a teenage girl were injured in the panic and evacuation that followed.
Tough new knife crime laws have been put in place in Queensland, dubbed ‘Jack’s Law’.
The legislation, passed in March 2023, gives police greater search powers to find and seize dangerous weapons, allowing officers to “wave a detector” over a person, in designated areas such as public transport hubs.
New South Wales Police Minister Yasmin Catley said her government was considering similar measures.
