The Minns Labor Government will make powers targeting knife crime permanent to remove dangerous weapons from our streets and keep communities safe.
The legislation being introduced today will ensure police can continue conducting 'wanding' operations which were first brought in on a trial basis in 2024, modelled off 'Jack's Law'.
It follows a successful trial, a statutory review of current laws and a recommendation from the Bondi Junction Coronial Inquest to consider making them permanent.
The new laws will make police knife 'wanding' powers permanent and will expand where police can run operations.
The powers - modelled on Jack's Law - were first introduced by the Minns Labor Government two years ago to address knife crime-related incidents and curb violent behaviour.
They allow police to declare certain public areas as 'designated areas' within which police are authorised to stop and scan individuals using handheld metal-detecting scanners.
These operations are run across NSW under 'Operation Ares', a high-visibility policing operation to detect and seize knives from public places.
Under the Government's changes, a declaration will be able to be made for 24 hours, up from 12.
'Major entertainment venues' will also be able to be declared designated areas. This is currently limited to public transport stations, shopping precincts and sporting venues.
Operation ARES is conducted in addition to other police operations such as Operation FOIL.
Since operations began, police have:
- Conducted 59,228 scans
- Run 406 wanding operations across NSW
- Seized 380 weapons
- Laid 200 charges for weapons offences
- Issued 68 infringements/diversions for weapons offences
- Charged 17 people with failing to comply with scanning
Since April 2023, the NSW Police Force has seized more than 15,000 knives from public places.
Making the powers permanent will bring NSW into line with similar schemes across the rest of the country.
Operation ARES is one of a number of operations NSW Police conduct to take knives and other dangerous weapons off our streets.
Since we came to Government in 2023, police have removed more than 15,000 weapons from public places and taken action against more than 8,000 people.
The legislation builds on earlier reforms to curb violence and remove dangerous weapons from our streets including:
- Doubling maximum penalties for knife crime from two to four years' imprisonment
- Prohibiting the sale of knives to children aged 16 and 17 without a reasonable excuse
This forms part of the Minns Labor Government's plan to strengthen policing capabilities in NSW and better protect the community.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:
"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."
Attorney General Michael Daley said:
"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 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."
