Victoria’s Machete Ban Delay Draws Criticism as Youth-Related Crimes Surge

An example of knives and other weapons - which are to be banned by the British government - taken at a secure police location in England on Aug. 18, 2016. (PA)

Victoria plans to ban under 18-year-olds from buying machetes to reduce youth crime, but delays in the legislation have drawn criticism from the Victorian Liberals, who blame the postponement for a rise in violent machete-related crimes.

The Victorian government plans to pass a law making it illegal for anyone under 18 to possess, carry, or sell machetes without a valid reason.

Carrying the deadly weapon can result in a hefty fine exceeding $23,000 or up to a year in jail.

Police Shadow Minister Brad Battin slammed the state government for opposing last year’s crackdown on machete sales, linking it to a surge in violent crimes across Victoria due to minors buying the weapon.

“When we, the Liberal and Nationals, introduced this legislation in 2023, it was done with community support and an urgent need to protect safety,” he said on Feb. 7.

“This delay allowed kids to buy machetes for use in violent crimes, and the consequences across Victoria have been horrendous.”

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Under the new laws, selling a machete to someone under 18 can lead to a fine of up to $3,846, and a minor buying one can be fined up to $2,308.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said it’s about sending a message that using weapons illegally is hazardous and intolerable.

“This Bill makes it clear that a machete is a weapon and not a tool to be sold to a minor–reducing the risk of them ending up in the hands of someone under 18,” he said.

It follows a disturbing string of machete-related crimes across the state.

A frightening video captured two machete-wielding masked men attempting to steal a teen’s bike following a social media transaction gone wrong in Springvale South, Melbourne, in August 2023.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the 16-year-old arranged to meet a man at a park where Springvale and Heatherton Roads meet to sell him a bike.

However, the men tried to forcefully take the bike from the car the teen had arrived in while brandishing the machete.

Both men fled empty-handed, and nobody was harmed.

In a separate incident, police stopped a likely gang confrontation in Watergardens shopping centre, arresting three people and confiscating multiple machetes, knives, batons, and fake firearms.

Detectives and local police responded to the disturbance at the local shopping centre after receiving reports that 12 youths were causing trouble on April 23.

As a result, a 15-year-old boy from Deer Park and a 14-year-old boy from St. Albans were arrested and questioned about possessing a prohibited weapon.

Meanwhile, recent crime statistics in Victoria show a significant rise in youth crime compared to before the pandemic.

Since 2019-20, there has been a 192 percent surge in alleged aggravated burglaries among children aged 10-14, rising from 85 to 249 incidents.

There was also a 131 percent rise in alleged aggravated burglaries among teens aged 15 to 17.

Simultaneously, the Commonwealth Report on Government Services reveals the public’s heightened concerns about safety and security.

While 89 percent of people felt safe at home at night in 2021-22, only 32.7 percent felt safe on public transport and 53.8 percent on the street.

Victoria Police, Crime Stoppers Join Fight to Combat Youth Knife Crime

Crime Stoppers Victoria and Victoria Police have responded, urging young people in Victoria to decrease violence in a bid to lower knife-related crimes.

The “Cut the Violence” campaign was created with input from high school students aged 15-18 to highlight the dangers and repercussions of carrying a knife.

Students from Scoresby Secondary College and St. Albans Secondary College joined discussions on reducing knife crime over eight weeks.

Students acknowledged that fear, power, and control drive people to carry illegal knives.

Crime Stoppers Victoria Chief Executive Stella Smith emphasised the importance of education in preventing knife crime.

“There is simply no excuse for carrying a knife illegally—and through this campaign we want to show the potential devastating consequences of knife crime,” he said.

Victoria Police North West Metro Commander Michael Cruse weighed in.

He said police will keep focusing on controlling the carrying and usage of knives.

“Police, like the community, remain concerned about any form of violence on our streets. Any death or injury caused by a knife attack is sadly one too many, and we have zero tolerance for those who think that carrying a knife in the community is acceptable,” he said.