Fines or Up to 4 Years Jail for Carrying or Using a Knife in Schools or Public Places
Criminal Legislation Amendment (Knife Crimes) Bill 2023
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
child safety criminal law criminal penalties knife crime law enforcement public safety school safety weapon possession weapons control
Introduced by: Michael Daley MP (ALP); The Hon Daniel Mookhey MLC (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Damien Tudehope LIB
“On behalf of the Opposition, I contribute to debate on the Criminal Legislation Amendment (Knife Crimes) Bill 2023. I thank the Government for its second reading speech and make the observation that it was identical to the second reading speech made in the other place, which is already published in Hansard.”
Sue Higginson GRN
“On behalf of The Greens, I contribute to debate on the Criminal Legislation Amendment (Knife Crimes) Bill 2023. The Greens do not support the Government’s bill because, once again, it is a knee-jerk response to crime, which we know will do little to fix the actual and real issues at hand.”
Robert Borsak SFFP
“On behalf of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, I speak in support of the Criminal Legislation Amendment (Knife Crimes) Bill 2023. It has always been the party’s policy to be tough on serious crimes, including firearms crimes. For almost 20 years the major parties and The Greens have blocked our attempts to be tough on gun crime.”
Tania Mihailuk IND
“One Nation supports the Criminal Legislation Amendment (Knife Crimes) Bill 2023. The bill proposes to strengthen the penalty regime for knife-related offences of possessing, using or carrying a knife in public places or schools. It does that by significantly increasing the maximum fines and terms of imprisonment as my colleague the Hon. Rod Roberts will shortly speak on.”
Rod Roberts IND
“One Nation supports the Criminal Legislation Amendment (Knife Crimes) Bill 2023. I compliment my colleague on her contribution but a couple more things need to be noted. We heard from Ms Sue Higginson that knife crimes are at the lowest they have been for some time. If they are at their lowest at the moment, they must have been very bad at one point.”
Stephen Lawrence ALP
“I add my support to the Criminal Legislation Amendment (Knife Crimes) Bill 2023. I have listened carefully to the debate. I would not associate myself with the comments of the Hon. Robert Borsak, who suggested that The Greens are "on the side of the crims and want crims on the street". I do not think that is a helpful contribution to parliamentary debate on criminal law policy.”
Tara Moriarty ALP
“I thank the Hon. Damien Tudehope, Ms Sue Higginson, the Hon. Robert Borsak, the Hon. Tania Mihailuk, the Hon. Rod Roberts and the Hon. Stephen Lawrence for their contributions to debate today. I respond to some of the comments made by my colleagues in this place. The Hon.”
News articles and press releases
Criminal Legislation Amendment (Knife Crimes) Bill 2023
Mr MICHAEL DALEY, Attorney General — 2023-06-20
This bill will double the penalty for the offences of possession of a knife in a public place or school and for wielding a knife in a public place or school. These provisions are currently found in section 11C and 11E respectively of the Summary Offences Act 1988.