The Victorian Government is set to use extraordinary powers to totally ban the sale of machetes from 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.
“In Victoria, community safety comes first. We must never let places we meet become places we fear,” said Premier Allan.
“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.”
The Premier said the dangerous knives are coming off retail shelves ahead of a legislated ban on machete possession coming into effect on September 1.
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The interim machete sale ban will expire when it is superseded by the legislated prohibition on the sale and possession of machetes that will come into effect on 1 September.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.
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.
“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,” said Minister for Police, Anthony Carbines.
“The community shouldn’t have to deal with these weapons in their shopping centres. Neither should our police.”
