The Allan Labor Government will use extraordinary powers to totally ban the sale of machetes on Wednesday.
Premier Jacinta Allan today joined Minister for Police Anthony Carbines and Minister for Consumer Affairs Nick Staikos to announce the unprecedented ban on machete sales.
The dangerous knives are coming off retail shelves now to dry up the machete market ahead of a legislated ban on machete possession coming into effect on September 1.
Interim sale ban on 28 May: Australia's first total ban on machete sales
Commonwealth consumer law allows a state minister for consumer affairs to introduce an interim ban on the sale of certain consumer goods for a time-limited period.
Using these powers, Victoria will ban the sale of machetes from 12:00 noon Wednesday, 28 May.
The interim machete sale ban will expire when it is superseded by the legislated prohibition on the sale and possession of machetes that will come into effect on 1 September.
When the interim sale ban is declared on Wednesday, a supplier (e.g. a retailer) must not supply the banned item for sale or possess them with the intent to sell during the banned period.
The interim sale ban will cover machetes, which are broadly described as a cutting edge knife with a blade of more than 20 centimetres. The interim sale ban does not include knives primarily used in kitchens.
The purpose of the interim sale ban is to dry up the supply of these items as much as possible before the possession ban comes into place. A supplier who fails to comply with the ban may be found guilty of a criminal offence.
This is the toughest ban on the sale of machetes that has ever been attempted in Australia, and it is fair because of the ban on possession that will follow it.
There will be no exemptions to allow the sale of machetes during the interim sale ban - Australian consumer law doesn't allow it. It is a total ban on sales.
This means some consumers who will be entitled to possess a machete with an exemption when machetes are prohibited will be denied the ability to buy them at all during the interim sale ban.
The Government acknowledges this will affect some legitimate users - but we are still proceeding with the interim sale ban to put community safety above all.
Retailers are advised to store excess stock in a safe location until the disposal, amnesty and exemption schemes for banned machetes starts alongside the prohibition coming into force on 1 September.
The Government thanks retailers for their attention to the interim sale ban, plus those who heeded the Premier's call on 13 March to immediately stop placing orders on stock.
We recognise the interim sale ban affects your existing stock and sales - but we must get these knives off shelves, off streets, and out of our lives.
Prohibition on 1 September: Australia's first ban on machete possession
A record number of knives were seized from Victorian streets in 2024. More must be done to keep people safe. That's why the Control of Weapons Act was amended on 19 March to prohibit the sale or possession of machetes.
Machetes will be classified as a prohibited weapon from 1 September 2025.
There will be exemptions. If people wish to get a machete for an allowed purpose such as agriculture, they will need to apply for an exemption. Government is consulting with industry on the exemptions framework.
To get these weapons off the streets safely, an amnesty will run from 1 September to 30 November 2025. During that time, people will be able to safely dispose of their knives without committing a crime.
They will be able to do this using secure bins in safe locations at outdoor areas at select police stations. These bins will start opening on 1 September.
Machetes can be broadly described as a cutting edge knife with a blade of more than 20 centimetres. Government has been consulting on this definition, with kitchen knives not intended to be included.
Prohibited weapons are the most strictly regulated in Victoria. They are not controlled. They are banned. Penalties of 2 years imprisonment or a fine of over $47,000 for being caught in possession will apply.
The prohibition comes on top of Australia's toughest bail laws - which include tougher bail tests for many serious and high-risk offences like knife crimes - plus a huge expansion of random knife search powers.
As stated by Premier Jacinta Allan
"In Victoria, community safety comes first. We must never let places we meet become places we fear."
"I hate these knives, and I will keep introducing as many laws as it takes to get them off our streets, out of our shops and out of our lives."
As stated by Minister for Police Anthony Carbines
"We introduced Australia's toughest bail laws, we're toughening bail for knife crimes and expanding random knife search powers - now we're ordering machetes off shelves and banning their possession."
"The community shouldn't have to deal with these weapons in their shopping centres. Neither should our police."
As stated by Minister for Consumer Affairs Nick Staikos
"Consumer affairs is all about keeping people safe. We're going to use our consumer powers to do just that."
"We know it is disruptive to the retailers who are carrying stock. Victorians will thank them for working with us to get this done."
