New South Wales police will be able to stop and search people looking for a gun without reasonable suspicion or a warrant under new laws aimed at tackling youth crime.
Prime Minister Chris Minns says the government will implement so-called 'wanding' powers in Australia's most populous state after a wave of high-profile knife attacks shocked Sydney, including one at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center where six people were killed last month.
The powers, hailed as a success in Queensland, allow police to use portable metal detectors without a warrant in designated night-time areas and around transit interchanges.
“In recent weeks and months we have all witnessed the devastating consequences of knife-related violence,” Minns said.
“NSW simply will not accept this type of crime.”
The legislation will be modeled on police search powers used in Queensland and based on Jack's Law, named after teenager Jack Beasley who was stabbed to death on the Gold Coast in 2019.
Since the reforms were introduced in March 2023, more than 500 guns have been taken off the streets.
Under NSW plans unveiled on Monday, police will be able to conduct warrantless searches in designated areas including transport hubs, shopping centers and entertainment and entertainment areas.
The powers can be used “in circumstances where a relevant gun/knife crime has occurred in the last six months”, the government said.
The authority will last twelve hours, with an option to extend.
The reforms will also make it illegal to sell knives to children under the age of 18, with exceptions for those who need a knife for work or study.
Attorney General Michael Daley said there are too many young people “who think it's okay to put a knife in their pocket to go about their daily business.”
“The worrying thing is, if they're open to wearing it, they're probably open to using it,” he said.
“We want people to stop carrying knives, leave them at home and stop using them.”