The Minns Labor Government have announced the extension of controversial knife-wanding laws opposed by experts including the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Justice and Equity Centre.
Greens MP and spokesperson for justice Sue Higginson said "The Minns Labor Government's invasive police powers have done nothing to curb knife crime and there is no evidence-based case for their expansion,
"What these powers have done is compounded overpolicing of First Nations people, and they have been used to make life harder for the people attending, and the organisers of, religious festivals, significant cultural events and peaceful protests,
"The Minns Labor Government always marketed their knife wanding laws as a temporary trial after the Bondi Junction tragedy, and their trial has not made any material difference in reducing crime,
"BOCSAR data shows assault incidents involving knives are decreasing at a slower rate since the introduction of these laws than in the ten years prior, and the number of persons proceeded against for knife robbery has actually increased,
"Just because police have a drawer full of knives, does not mean these laws have had any meaningful effect on knife crime, but they have had a profoundly negative impact on civil liberties,
"Giving police more and more powers and diminishing civil liberties is not the way to keep communities safe. When police are given more powers like these they must be subject to oversight of the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission and safeguards around their use must be enshrined in the law," Ms Higginson said.
